Like A Pawprint On My Heart
by DeliveryxGirl
Summary: Nobody had ever taken the time to get to know Gohan. Nobody knew just how damaged Goku's death left him, or why he's so desperate to save a stray black cat from the streets one night. But when this grateful feline turns out to be a powerful witch in disguise, Gohan will gain not only a friend…but a lot of complications as well. [Dark Gohan, no nerdy nonsense]
1. Miss Atomic Bomb

**Gohan is 14 years old, and still in a deep depression over Goku's death.**

 **All appearance and/or personality differences are intentional.**

 **VIDEL** **won't come in till much later, but she** **will** **be vital to the story.**

* * *

Son Gohan had never been the type to have many friends, if any at all.

His late father's comrades were always around to talk to, but over the years, he had distanced himself from even them. After Goku died prior to his son's victory at the Cell Games, Gohan had become a hollow version of himself. He had always been quiet and reserved, but now he kept almost exclusively to himself.

It didn't take long for Chichi to notice the immense change in her son's behavior. Concerned for her eldest son, she made multiple attempts to reach out to him, hoping he would talk to her about his issues. But Gohan's dissociation had quickly gotten out hand. She first realized this the day Cell was defeated, when Gohan, Krillin, and Yamcha had stopped by to deliver the news of her husband's death.

* * *

 _It was late at night, hours after Cell's defeat. Gohan wanted to go home alone, but the others insisted on following him. Piccolo was especially persistent on coming, but Gohan had gently reminded him that his mother wasn't the Namekian's biggest fan. But he had no excuse for turning Krillin and Yamcha away, so he was stuck with them tagging along._

 _There two were no doubt helpful in delivering the news to Chichi and consoling her; despite being mature for his age, Gohan was only eleven years old. He wasn't equipped with the mental skills to handle such an intense situation now that Goku's death was permanent._

 _However, Gohan still seemed eager to get the duo to leave. He stood an intentional distance from Krillin, Yamcha, and his wailing mother, chewing the inside of his mouth and staring out the window. Any attempt by the men to urge Gohan to join them in grieving was met with an averted gaze and quick shake of the head._

 _After about an hour of this, Krillin and Yamcha decided it was best to leave the Son family to mourn for the night. Gohan jumped at the chance to see them out the door._

 _While Yamcha was his typical oblivious self, Krillin was more than put off by Gohan's lack of emotion. Even as they stepped outside to say their final goodbyes of the night, he couldn't help making one last attempt to reach out to his best friend's son._

 _"Are you sure you'll be alright, Gohan?" The monk asked gently, desperate to read_ _something_ _on the boy's face. "This isn't going to be easy, y'know…your mom-"_

 _"Don't sweat it guys, I'll make sure she's okay," Gohan beamed at them from the doorway, which did the opposite of easing Krillin's concern. "If I can beat Cell, I can take care of my mom, right?"_

 _Krillin's brow crumpled with worry, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. "Gohan, I gotta say…I'm not sure how I feel about you seeming to take this all so…so_ well _…" The monk glanced up to Yamcha for backup, who caught on quick._

 _"Yeah, kid, maybe we should stay for a bit longer or something–" he was cut off by Gohan conveniently leaning his arm against the entrance, blocking him from coming back inside._

 _"It's pretty late," Gohan replied coldly, still smiling. "You guys should really go home."_

 _Catching onto the boy's firm tone, the men nodded._

 _"If you or your mom need anything, just ask us, okay?" Krillin hated the thought of leaving, but it was clear they were getting nowhere with Gohan tonight._

 _Yamcha nodded eagerly. "Yeah, anything at all, just give us a call. Or hell, come visit. You're always welcome with us–" he barely finished his sentence before Gohan slammed the door shut. The duo glanced at each other and sighed heavily before departing to their own abodes._

 _Chichi was still on her knees, weeping for the loss of her love. She felt a small hand on her shoulder, and glanced up into the deadened eyes of her once wonderstruck son._

 _He leaned over and embraced her tightly, burying his face in her neck. Chichi was shaking as she wrapped her arms around him, holding her son close. They sat for a while in silence, Chichi sobbing and Gohan rubbing his hand along her back to comfort her. His motions could only be described as a sweet, awkward melancholy - a child taking on a role too big for him._

 _Finally, he spoke quietly:_

 _"I'm sorry, mom."_

 _That was all._

 _No tears._

 _No breaking in his voice._

 _Just a defeated apology._

 _And with that, he pried her arms off him and stepped away up the stairs without another word._

 _Chichi waited for Gohan to come back down and continue to grieve with her, but he never did. And she cried alone into the night, knowing now that Goku wasn't the only person the Cell Games had taken from her that day._

* * *

To make matters worse, the next day Gohan switched out his room, which had once been down the hall from his parents, for the small attic where the Son family kept only storage. Gohan insisted it was so he could get fresh air from the large window that opened to the roof, but his mother knew better. Her son just wanted to be alone, as far away from everyone as possible.

Still, she respected his wishes to avoid upsetting him further.

Chichi had watched, her brow creased with worry, as her son packed up his belongings and dragged them up the stairs to his new sanctuary. One from which he would barely come out from ever since. Running her hand down her pregnant belly, she bit her lip and prayed, for both her and her unborn child, that Gohan would come around to the light eventually.

That was three years ago.

* * *

Gohan sat on the roof of his home and watched the sun rise in the distance. Like most nights, he hadn't gotten much sleep; the dark circles under his eyes were evidence of that.

The fourteen-year-old stood up and climbed down through the large open window into the attic that was his room. He grabbed his black messenger bag, stuffed in his iPod, a sketchpad, and a couple of books before heading down the stairs.

Gohan always made sure to take light steps in the morning to avoid waking his mother or Goten. His three-year-old brother, as much as Gohan loved him, could be the occasional pain. Always clinging and asking to play when all he wanted was to be left alone. Gohan knew it wasn't Goten's fault; the toddler only wanted his big brother to show him love and affection, which he had an abundance of for the child.

He just dreaded attachment to things that weren't permanent.

The teen stopped by the bathroom to take a quick glance in the mirror. He was dressed in his usual attire: black jacket and red t-shirt, slim black jeans, and combat boots. His hair, which had grown out to just slightly past his chin, hung over his pale face in a dark, gothy mess. His blue eyes peered out from behind his bangs, an illuminating splash of color that contrasted with his dark apparel.

Ensuring his sleeves were pulled far down his arms, Gohan stepped down the stairs and continued out into the chilly morning air. Hugging his jacket to him, he put his earbuds in and turned his iPod to maximum volume. He began walking towards the city.

When his father died, Gohan slowly began to prefer walking over flying. He preferred anything that would eat up more time. Ever since the Cell games, the days seemed to drag on endlessly, as if existing itself were a chore.

However, being half Saiyan, his walking was still vastly faster than that of a human, and he reached the city in just a couple of hours.

As usual, his dark attire in the bright city drew an unwanted emphasis. Several passersbys glanced over with looks that ranged from confusion to disgust.

 _Damn, people_ , Gohan grimaced to himself. _Figured you'd be used to me by now_.

He came here nearly every day, to sit atop the city buildings and overlook everyone and everything from afar. Walking over to his favorite spot – a ten story high publishing building – Gohan went around the back and flew up to the top. Sitting cross-legged on the concrete roof, he pulled his sketchpad out of his bag and began drawing, taking the headphones out of his iPod so it would play aloud as he worked.

This was Gohan's typical routine. Overlooking the city, indie beats playing softly beside him.

He watched the older couples shop in the morning. He watched the kids release from the high school his mother had tried forcing him to enroll in. (He had adamantly refused; he insisted it was because he already knew everything they could possibly teach him, but really he just knew he would never fit in with other people his age…

…or anyone, for that matter.)

Gohan used to wonder what fascinated him so much about being in the city. He certainly wasn't fond of people; he hardly communicated with his own family and friends. Until he finally realized, it wasn't the people he was interested in;

it was the sensation of being alone without feeling lonely.

Eventually, Gohan put his drawings up to read one of his books. Going on into the night, he listened around him as the stores began to close and the lights started to dim until he could hardly read the words before him.

Out of nowhere, it began pouring rain.

Gohan hurriedly thrusting his book and iPod into his bag to avoid them getting ruined by the rain. He headed to the back and casually hopped down from the building, his Saiyan abilities making it an easy feat. He was about to go ahead and fly home, but thought better of it. He had always enjoyed the rain, and it wouldn't hurt to kill a few more hours.

Gohan stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket and began his trek home, head cast down at the ground. The rain had already drenched him, flattening his hair until it mopped over his face.

The night clubs began opening, their neon signs like a spotlight on his camouflage in the dark. Drunken men and women scattered in and out, occasionally knocking into the annoyed teenager as he walked down the street.

That's when he saw it.

From his peripheral vision, Gohan caught a flash of black, racing into the middle of the street. Squinting closer, he realized…it was a cat. A small black cat with bright lavender eyes. He stopped in his tracks, looking closer at the creature, when he noticed that the feline was also staring right back at him.

Gohan felt his breath catch in his throat. He'd always held a special fondness for cats. He would have gotten one a long time ago, had his young life not revolved around fighting villains from worlds outside his own. But since no one in his life had ever seemed concerned with what he wanted, he had never asked.

But this cat was different – she had some strange pull on him, and he took a step closer, intrigued by the odd sensation he was feeling.

A burst of light came from around the corner. A car, likely driven by a drunk party-goer, was accelerating down the rain-covered road.

Headed straight towards the black cat.

The car lights flashed in his eyes, blinding him for a moment. But the black cat appeared frozen in fear.

Without thinking, Gohan dived forward. For the first time in forever, he felt his Saiyan instincts kick in, and he levitated. He flew out into the road, in front of the speeding car, and caught the black creature in his frozen hands. He felt the car graze him before he toppled onto the other side of the street. He was so preoccupied with the cat that he hardly took a moment to acknowledge how out of practice his abilities were.

Shaking and gasping at the intensity of what he had just done, Gohan looked down at the shivering cat. His body was curled around her protectively, and they were both soaked from the rain. They held their gaze again, his blue eyes and her purple.

 _Purple eyes on a cat?_ Gohan furrowed his brow. There was something strange about this creature that he couldn't put his finger on.

Gathering his things, he stood up and cradled her in his arms.

"Hey little girl," he spoke softly, lightly scratching her chin. "You got a name?"

The cat purred, her eyes narrowing, as though challenging the boy to conjure one up himself.

Gohan laughed, his lips breaking out into the first smile his features had known in ages. He took the cat's little paw between two fingers, as if holding her hand. "Alright then," he whispered. "Guess I gotta make one up then…. let's see…."

He thought back to moments before, when he had first locked eyes with the little cat. The way his heart had stopped, and the world seemed to freeze. As if she had some sort of power over him, like she controlled the universe and everything in it with her glaring lavender eyes.

Gohan smiled down at the cat, who purred back up at him.

"Guess we're going home… Miss Atomic Bomb."

Gohan slipped her into his messenger bag, leaving enough open space for air. And for the first time in years, he flew his way home.

* * *

 **"Miss Atomic Bomb" — The Killers**


	2. Calling

**The witch is named Blair and she has dark purple hair.**

 **I modeled her after the** ** _Soul Eater_** **character, but she is a different person entirely.**

* * *

Gohan had almost forgotten how much faster flying was than walking; he reached his home in a matter of minutes. He landed on the roof, rain still pouring down, and was careful not to slip when climbing down into the window of the attic.

Gohan shut the window above him and slumped down onto his bed. He opened his bag and gently pulled out the small black cat and set her beside him.

"Stay," he whispered. He stood up, pulling off his jacket and shirt and throwing them in a soaked pile on the floor.

As he stood shirtless, his back to the feline, he felt a burning sensation on his bare skin. He turned around, and saw the cat's eyes narrowed at him in a mischievous manner, a smile spread across her face.

 _Smile?_

Gohan shook his head. _Cats don't smile_ , he thought. _Then again, they also don't have purple eyes, so what the hell do I know?_ He gathered his wet clothes and continued changing in the privacy offered by a dark corner.

Dried off in a black t-shirt and sweatpants, he crawled into bed with his new friend and pulled her close against his chest. She purred and closed her eyes in contentment, snuggling her head against her savior.

"G'night, Miss Atomic Bomb," Gohan mumbled as he drifted off into sleep. He chuckled lightly. "Or…. MAB, I guess, ahhaa."

The cat glanced up at the sleeping boy, taking in his features without the wet, shaggy hair in the way to hide them.

" _So lovely_ ," she purred to herself. " _Why hide such a sweet display behind a dark curtain, love_?" She cuddled closer to him and flicked out her tiny pink tongue to lick his cheek.

" _Oh, and by the way…my name is Blair. Blair the Witch_."

* * *

Gohan opened his eyes, blinded by the sunlight filtering in through the window. He glanced up before rolling back over on his side, sleepily feeling around for his friend from the night before.

"M…Mab?" He mumbled, calling out for her. He sat up in his bed, glancing around the room. It had been so long since he had seen his own room in broad daylight that it weirded him out.

"Wh…what…" He was slowly gaining consciousness. _How did I sleep for so long? I never sleep in this long..._ On his normal routine, he'd have reached the city hours ago. Instead, he was barely rolling out of bed by noon.

"Sleep well, sweetness?" A feminine voice came from behind him.

Gohan's breath caught in his throat. He swallowed hard as he turned around, and saw a tall, lean model of a woman standing in the corner of his room.

She had thick, dark violet hair that reached down her back, and big, bright lavender eyes. Her creamy complexion glowed under the sunlight as she stepped out from the dark corner, a smile on her full pink lips.

"What's wrong, love?" She giggled as Gohan's eyes grew wider and wider the closer she stepped towards him. " _Cat_ got your tongue? Ahaha…."

Gohan shivered slightly and quickly scrambled out of bed, keeping the distance between them. "How'd you get in here?" He demanded, glaring at her viciously. _There's no fucking way I could have just_ _ **not**_ _noticed her sneaking in! Especially when I live in the middle of fucking nowhere!_ "Who the hell are you? Did you do something with my cat?" He wasn't sure why he added the last part. A random stray should be the least of his worries, and yet he couldn't help but feel an odd panic in his heart over the creature's well-being.

The woman's face softened and she stopped moving towards him. It was then that Gohan noticed she wore only one of his oversized black shirts that barely reached her mid-thigh, the sleeves creeping down to her polished fingertips.

"Oh deary, don't be upset," she spoke gently, as though trying to soothe Gohan. "You see, I know this is going to sound strange, but I'm the beloved feline you saved last night. You saved me." She smiled at him, her eyes shimmering with happiness. "You saved _me_ , sweetness!"

Gohan glared into her eyes, hoping for some sort of sign that this was all some sort of sick joke. That she belonged in an asylum or a prison or –

Gohan tensed up once he realized something. He couldn't feel her _ki_. There was an undeniable power radiating off the woman, yet he felt no life force. Only an overwhelming aura that left him with both an instant attraction to the stranger as well as a sick, twisted knot in his stomach.

"Who are you?" He analyzed her up and down, hoping for a clue. "What do you want? Why are you here? And for the final time, where the _hell_ is my cat?"

The woman flinched at the young boy's harsh tone, but quickly redeemed her calm composure.

"Well, I suppose I do have some explaining to do…" she replied softly, chewing her bottom lip. Her eyes flicked back to Gohan's orbs full of distrust. "My name is Blair. I _am_ the cat you saved last night, I swear by it. You named me. You called me…what was it now… _Miss Atomic Bomb_ …"

Gohan drew in a sharp breath. _How could she know_?

"Such a sweet, thought out name," Blair smiled. "Nobody has ever given me a nickname before. And it's been so many years…" She glanced out the large window above them. "Kindness is a rare privilege among my kind. Most people wouldn't take the time, you see…"

Gohan eased up, releasing the tension from his body. He kept his guard up, still weary of the stranger, but she just seemed so…soft. So innocent and gentle. There was something about her that he felt he needed to understand, to resolve for the seemingly lost dame.

As he took in her appearance more, Gohan realized he couldn't tell her age. She was youthful and radiant, yet her features were mature and defined, her body full and proportioned. She looked as though she could be anywhere from a teenager to a woman of thirty, which made him feel uncomfortable in his attraction to her.

"So…do you need help?" He asked quietly. He wasn't sure why he was offering. He should be blasting her out of his room with a single blow, but he was far more interested in figuring out who and _what_ she was.

Blair smiled back at him. "Oh no, love. You've helped enough," her pink lips spread into a beautiful smile that flashed her perfectly white teeth – complete with a set of tiny fangs where her canines should be, small but noticeable to a Saiyan's eyes.

Gohan could hear his mom downstairs making breakfast for her and Goten. She always made extra for Gohan, just in case he decided to join them. He hadn't in at least a year. A feeling of guilt knotted in his stomach, but he quickly pushed it down.

"Well, you need to leave," he spoke coldly. "I can't let my mom see you in here." In truth, he worried for the safety of his family. What if this woman was a psycho? Risking himself was one thing. His mother and little brother were off limits.

Blair pouted. "No can do," she insisted. "You saved me. I want to repay you."

Gohan narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you talking about?

She smiled and came forward, taking each step cautiously toward Gohan, who prepared himself to attack should she make the first move.

Instead, she reached down and carefully placed a delicate hand on his cheek. It was then that Gohan realized just how tall she was; he was considerably lanky for a boy of fourteen, yet she still hovered a few inches over him. She was so close Gohan could practically taste her vanilla scent. His stomach churned with a feeling he couldn't define.

The woman seemed amused at his awkwardness. "See dear, I'm no normal human. I'm a witch. _Blair the Witch_ , to be precise."

She spoke her name with such boldness and importance, Gohan's blood went cold. _Blair the Witch? Who is she? Am I supposed to know about her? Is this a joke, or could she be an enemy_?

Blair brushed a strand of his dark hair behind his ear. "That's right. Blair the Witch. And I'm going to give you my undying loyalty, Gohan."

* * *

 **"** ** _Calling_** **" — The Birthday Massacre**

 ** _To everyone asking:_** _I made Gohan's eyes blue because I wanted to change it up a bit. To make the Son men look more distinct. I know they're related, but I don't want to keep writing the same descriptions for all of them. I chose blue because it's the color of his Super Saiyan eyes anyway_ _J_


	3. Disorder

**NOTE** ** _: Blair's telepathy is in bold. Otherwise it's Gohan's thoughts._**

* * *

 _Undying loyalty?_

Gohan pushed the woman's hand away. "I don't need your loyalty; I need you to leave." People 'worried' about him enough after the Cell games over his new attire and lack of communication. The last thing he needed was some _ki_ -less, practically naked psycho who thought she was a witch parading around his room.

Even if she _did_ intrigue the hell out of him.

Blair frowned, pulling her hand close to her chest. "Deary, don't you see that's why I want you?" Her eyebrows knitted quizzically. "The cold-shoulder, the dark outlook, the _uniqueness_ about you…" She smiled again. "And not to mention your _ki_. I haven't felt one as strong as you in centuries. Maybe not in all my existence!"

 _Okay…centuries?_ Gohan had decided: the bitch was clearly delusional. _And she can sense ki, too? This_ _ **cannot**_ _be good…_

She could tell from Gohan's countenance that he wasn't about to change his mind, and held her hands up in defense.

"Tell you what," she began. "Just let me stick around for a few days. A week tops. I promise you, it will be worth your while." She offered her delicate hand to shake on it.

Gohan bit his lip. He was definitely interested in finding out more about this stranger. How she knew the name he gave the black cat, why she called herself a witch, why she _had no freaking ki…_

"Look," Gohan sighed. "You've caught my attention. That's rare. But I can't have you in my house where my mom can find you. She'll freak out and we'll both be screwed."

Blair laughed, her voice like wind chimes. "Oh sweetness, that's no worry!" She held out her hand again. "I promise; nobody will suspect a thing." She winked an amethyst eye at him.

Gohan was hesitant, but decided that if anything went wrong – if he even _suspected_ she might be a threat to his family – he would kill her without warning.

 _Besides, what else do I have going on?_

"Fine." He answered flatly. He reached out and took her hand –

– and as he did, her form instantly dissipated into wisps of purple smoke, and out of it a small black cat plopped into his arms. The shirt she was wearing fell into a heap to the floor.

Gohan's eyes bulged at the creature, who merely glanced back up at him with a mischievous glint in her lilac eyes.

 ** _See, love? I told you it was me!_**

Gohan flinched as her sweet voice penetrated his mind. _Am I hearing things or…?_

 ** _Don't worry, sweetness; I can use telepathy with you so no one will suspect anything._** He swore he saw the cat wink. **_I don't do this with many people, so feel special. It's our little secret!_**

Gohan rubbed a hand down his face and let out a deep breath. This was going to be a _long_ day.

* * *

After changing into a short-sleeved hoodie and black jeans, Gohan prepared his bag to leave. He hesitated for a moment, thankful that Blair was paying more attention to her grooming than watching him, before turning back and pulling dark arm warmers out of his drawer and slipping them on. He scooped the black cat into his messenger bag and crept out the door.

"Keep quiet," he mumbled down to her. "Mom and I don't talk much anymore, so just… give me time to explain things."

 ** _I promise to be good, sweetness._**

Gohan stepped down the stairs as quietly as he could. Reaching the end, he peered around the corner into the living room.

He saw Chichi sitting on the couch, her arm draped around a sleeping Goten in her lap while she watched news reports on TV. She appeared calm and well put-together, a small smile on her lips as she occasionally glanced down at her sleeping child.

Gohan felt a small pang of hurt in his chest. He knew it was his own fault. He had caused Goku's death, and he had pushed everyone away; that was all on him. But it still hurt to see his mother recovering so well without him.

The teen drew in a few shaky breaths before stepping into the room. Chichi must have heard, as she turned around, her brown eyes widening when she saw him.

"Gohan?" She was clearly astonished by her own son's presence. "You're…here? At home?"

Gohan's eyes darted around the room nervously as he tried to respond. "Uh…yeah…I slept in, figured I should get some rest 'cause…uh…I was thinking about stopping by to see Bulma and Vegeta today." It was the most he had spoken to her in forever. He looked down at his feet when he said the last part, knowing it would come as a surprise.

Chichi's lips pressed tight. "I see." She said, turning back to the TV. "Well, I hope you would dress a bit differently when you go. It's been about a year since you last visited them, and I'm tired of people calling me up asking why you're so _depressed_ these days." She brushed a hand through Goten's spiky black hair. "Makes me look like a bad mother. Which I'm clearly not, seeing as I raised _one_ normal child."

The pain in Gohan's chest felt like a knife being dug deeper and deeper, with a final twist at his mother's last sentence. She used to be so obsessed with Gohan's future, always making him study past his age group. Even after the Cell games, she had made small attempts to get him to talk to their old friends. But Gohan's depression had taken over his entire being: his mind, his wardrobe, and his relationships.

Head cast down, Gohan stepped quietly over to the door and opened it, his hand resting on the knob as he looked back at her. "You're…not a bad mom." He called out softly before walking out and slamming the door behind him, not wanting to see her reaction.

He wasn't even sure if he meant it. He just figured he had caused her enough pain when he killed her husband, his father.

* * *

Gohan decided to fly to Capsule Corp, but didn't go anywhere near full speed. He wanted to get there fast, but still have time to think.

The trip was silent for a while, until a voice like honey snuck its way into his mind.

 ** _I'm guessing you don't get along with your family?_**

"No," Gohan realized that if he ever did this in public, he'd look insane, talking to himself.

Blair the cat shifted around in his bag. **_I don't understand why she doesn't appreciate your style. It's part of what drew me to you. You stand out, you know._**

Gohan didn't feel like questioning her. "Standing out…isn't always a good thing. It's just another barrier between you and everyone else."

Blair peeked out of the bag, careful not to slip out, and flicked her tongue out to lick the boy's hand. **_Well, I hope to break down any barriers between us, dear. I want your soul, fully exposed and out in the open._**

Gohan shuddered at the feel of her tongue. Cat or human, the creature filled him with a frightening and powerful sensation all throughout his body that he couldn't explain.

Hopefully a certain Saiyan prince could answer some questions for him.

* * *

Gohan landed in front of the Capsule Corp entrance and hesitated before going in. It had been a while since he was last here. There was a new paint job done to the building, as well as multiple additions. Bulma was probably working on a ton of new projects and needed extra space.

Gohan swallowed his fears, stuffed his hands in his hoodie pockets, and walked in. In an instant, Bulma was standing before him, wide-eyed.

Bulma's jaw dropped slightly as she took in the teen. His dark hair and clothes contrasted wildly with the sky-blue walls and tile floor. The bright lights shone harshly on his pale skin, making him appear almost translucent.

Still, her face broke into a wide smile.

"GOHAN!" She shrieked, pulling him into a hug. "Is that really you? Gosh, you've grown so much!" She pulled away, and while Gohan could tell her excitement was genuine, her smile was clearly growing more and more strained as her eyes grazed over his appearance. "You…you look so good, Gohan! I'm so happy to see you!"

Gohan managed to force a small smile. He knew Bulma had always been one of the few who truly cared for him, but he also knew she was struggling with overlooking his appearance. Bulma was a successful businesswoman; no matter how crazy she could have been in her youth to be friends with Goku, she still wasn't the type of woman to approve of a gothy teenager with dark clothes and messy hair.

"Thanks Bulma, it's um…nice to see you, too," he replied.

"How have things been?" Bulma asked, desperately trying to hide her growing concern. Gohan knew his mother told Bulma negative things about him; he had overheard her on the phone one night talking about what a " _depressing sack of gothic worthlessness_ " her eldest son had turned into.

 _Goddamn, Bulma must think I'm a total freak._

"Um. They're good," he lied. "Just…keeping to myself and all. I mostly read a lot, writing and drawing, too…" He drifted off and scratched the back of his head to stall his awkwardness.

Bulma nodded. "That's great, Gohan. Have you made any friends?"

 _Oh shit._

"'Uhhh, well…" he began. An idea popped into his head and he pulled Blair the cat out of his bag. "I mean I found this cat last night, if that counts, ahaa…" He smiled sheepishly.

Bulma eyes flashed with worry for a second before she caught herself and smiled back at Gohan. "Well, she's a cutie!" She exclaimed, taking the cat into her hands and holding her up above her head. "And such pretty eyes! I didn't know cats could have purple eyes!"

Blair purred and practically lit up with happiness.

Gohan took Blair as Bulma handed her back. "So…" he started. "Is Vegeta around?"

Bulma seemed taken aback by Gohan's request, but didn't mention it. "Oh yeah, he's in his favorite place at the moment," she rolled her eyes humorously. "You can guess where that is. The Gravity Chamber is around the corner and to your left. I moved it during the remodeling." She pointed in the direction. "You go on ahead; I need to check on Trunks."

Gohan smiled graciously. "Thanks, Bulma," he called behind him as he walked towards his destination.

Pressing the button to open the Gravity Chamber doors, Gohan saw Vegeta, shirtless in his usual navy spandex pants, grunting as he attacked several small robots flying around the room. Each one shattered to pieces with a single punch by the Saiyan prince.

Gohan knocked a few times on the doorway, the sound echoing through the chamber. Vegeta turned, his face a scowl twisted in concentration, and nearly burst out laughing when he saw the half-breed.

"Do my Saiyan senses deceive me, or is that the brat of Kakarot standing before me?" The man called out mockingly. He gave Gohan a glance over before smirking. "You've become a _colorful_ fellow, haven't you, Gohan?"

Gohan frowned at Vegeta's insult and cradled Blair to him as he walked towards the man. "I need to talk to you."

Vegeta's smirk returned to a scowl as he spotted Blair. "Seriously? A black cat? Are you a fucking devil worshipper prodigy now?" He shook his head and turned back to his training, punching more flying robots as he spoke. "What could you possibly have to talk about with me, after disappearing for a year?"

Gohan could feel Blair tensing up in his arms, and ran his hand along her fur to soothe her. "Do you…know what it means when someone is alive, but doesn't have any _ki_?"

 ** _…_** ** _. Sweetness, what's this all about?_**

Gohan ignored Blair's voice invading his mind and focused his attention on Vegeta, who had turned to give him a quizzical look.

"No _ki_? Huff," the Saiyan grunted. "There's no such thing. You're being an idiot." He resumed his punching.

Gohan was growing impatient. "I'm serious, Vegeta," he spoke more firmly now. "What could it possibly mean if you were talking to a living, breathing person, and they had no life force at all?"

Vegeta dropped his stance and faced Gohan fully now. He peered into the teenager's eyes, surprised to find that the demi-Saiyan was equal in height with him now.

"You've gotten tall," Vegeta mumbled, before walking over to a bench that had been placed in the chamber as a resting stop. He jerked his head to the side, motioning for Gohan to sit down beside him.

Gohan took a seat next to the man, setting Blair in his lap. She happily curled up and closed her eyes in relaxation, though her ears remained perked to listen in.

"Now," Vegeta began. "Why are you asking me about all this nonsense? You've hardly spoken a word to anyone since Kakarot got himself blown up."

Gohan flinched. "You mean when _I_ got him blown up," he corrected.

Vegeta groaned and leaned back on the bench, closing his eyes. "You need some serious help, kid," he mumbled. "And no, I don't know anything about _ki_ -less beings. I don't know why you think I would."

Gohan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. _Guess this trip was just a lot of awkwardness for nothing_. "Well, thanks anyway." He got up to leave, but Vegeta yanked his arm until Gohan was facing him again. Blair toppled out of his arms and onto the floor, her tail fluffed in annoyance.

Vegeta's black eyes burned a hole through Gohan's skull. "Start coming over once a week from now on," he demanded. "I need a sparring partner. These damn robots my woman designed for me just don't cut it."

Gohan furrowed his brow. "Wha…. Vegeta, I haven't trained in freaking forever," he shook his head. "I don't want to anymore. Besides, at this point, I'm so out of practice you'd knock me out in a second."

"And what's wrong with that?" The Saiyan prince smirked and crossed his arms. "You're not out of shape, brat, you're just tall and skinny. You _ki_ is still impeccable."

He pointed over to a small screen on the Gravity Chamber's center control panel. "See…you walked in here like it was nothing…yet we're at 150x gravity."

Gohan stared at the panel is astonishment. He honestly thought he had gotten weaker over the past three years. He even _hoped_ he had. He balled his fists in anger and started to walk out of the chamber.

"I don't want to fight anymore, Vegeta. I do nothing but damage," he growled as he stormed out, a concerned Blair trotting closely behind. He paused in the doorway. "Unless…"

Vegeta scowled. "Unless what, brat?"

Gohan turned to face the prince. "Know anything about witches?"

Blair glanced up at Gohan in amusement. **_Looks like somebody is more interested than they act_** , she chimed into Gohan's mind. He continued ignoring her. Vegeta had made enough cracks without seeing him talk to a damn cat.

The Saiyan scanned Gohan carefully to try and tell if he was being fooled or not, and upon realizing the teen was serious, he laughed loudly.

"Look, kid, I don't bother with stories or studies about ridiculous things like you do," he grunted. "But if you'll just agree to fucking fight me every now and then, I'll entertain you with your search for all this no- _ki_ and witch nonsense. Do we have a deal?"

Gohan couldn't help but beam. "So you'll help me?"

"That's what I said, isn't it? So long as you keep your end of our bargain, sure." Vegeta turned back and used the control panel to order more robots around him. "I'm expecting you next Saturday."

Gohan nodded eagerly and snatched Blair up in his hands. "Okay, Vegeta, I'll see you then." He began walking out again.

"Oh, and brat?"

"Yeah, Vegeta?"

"Leave all your emo shit at home next time."

* * *

After Gohan left, Vegeta glared at the doorway for a while. Something was definitely not right.

 _Why didn't that cat's bones cave under the pressure of 150x gravity_? He thought.

 _And why the FUCK didn't it have any ki?_

* * *

Gohan sat on his bed, flipping through a compilation of H.P. Lovecraft stories. Blair had turned back into her human form, lying curled up on his bed next to him. She was wearing Gohan's shirt from that morning and some dark-washed jeans he had taken from his mother's room while she was cooking dinner.

On his way home from Capsule Corp, Gohan was hesitant about bringing Blair back to his house. He had hoped he would get _some_ sort of information on witches and _ki_ -less beings before deciding whether she was dangerous or not. But considering she knew where he lived – where his family slept – he figured it was better to keep her under close watch for the time being. The last thing he wanted was a potentially powerful psycho with a grudge against him.

Blair admired Gohan's room, taking in every detail. There were multiple shelves stacked with books. He had drawn artwork of dragons and horror-inspired illustrations with white paint along his pitch black walls, the intense contrast making his drawings even more outstanding.

Her favorite feature, though, was the large square window that opened to the night sky over his bed, where she gazed out at the stars.

"Sweetness," she called to Gohan, still staring up at the sky.

Gohan put down his book and looked over at the woman beside him. "Yeah, Mab?"

Blair smiled at the nickname. "Thank you," she whispered softly, turning in the bed to nuzzle her nose into the teen's neck.

Gohan tensed up and shifted uncomfortably. He looked down at her, her face like a beautiful painting under the moonlight.

She was definitely attractive, but it didn't make things any less awkward. He was fourteen, and she was at _least_ eighteen years old, which was already a huge leap from him in teenage years. Though he could imagine a woman of her defined features being older than that.

"For what?" He asked.

Blair slipped her hand into his and gave him a sleepy smile. "For wanting to know about me."

Gohan glanced down at their clasped hands. "You know…you could just tell me things yourself." _It would make things a lot easier than having to rely on Vegeta, that's for sure_.

Blair giggled. "I don't think that's such a good idea," She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with he thought was sadness. "I'm not too popular." She looked as though she wanted to say more, but instead cuddled back against Gohan's chest.

Gohan felt a sick feeling form in his gut. _Not too popular? Does that mean she could be an enemy?_ But as he took in her appearance, a gentle smile on her pink lips as she drifted off to sleep, her delicate hand still entwined with his own, he couldn't help but think otherwise.

What was it about her? That powerful _ki_ -less force radiating off her, like she alone controlled the universe…

He sighed and rested his chin on her head, closing his eyes.

"Yeah, well…. neither am I."

As Gohan felt himself slip into sleep, his eyelids growing heavy, he couldn't help but hear her voice in his head from earlier.

 ** _Well, I hope to break down any barriers between us, dear. I want your soul, fully exposed and out in the open._**

He knew it was crazy. He barely even knew her. But as he recalled her words and squeezed her hand tighter, he couldn't help but feel like their barriers were already melting away.

* * *

 **"** ** _Disorder_** **" — Joy Division**


	4. I Was Built To Give Up

Gohan's eyes flickered open to sunlight streaming through his window.

 _Slept in again?_

The teen groaned and sat up in his bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping Blair snuggled beside him. It took him a minute to realize that she had slept in her human form last night. His face flared up at the thought.

 _Glad mom doesn't come in my room…damn…_

He climbed out of bed, careful to keep the blanket covering her. _I should let her sleep some more_ , he thought to himself. She must have still be exhausted since the night he found her on the streets. He doubted she had slept much that night, and he wasn't even sure if she had eaten since then.

Gohan opened the attic door and crept down the stairs in his bare feet, careful not to make too much noise. He went into the kitchen and saw a note on the countertop. Picking it up, he read:

 _"Went to market with Goten. Be home soon. Food in fridge. – Mom."_

He couldn't help but smile a little. His mother may think lowly of him, but at least his human needs still crossed her mind.

He opened the fridge and took out a plate wrapped in cellophane – a full cold meal of meat and rice – and stuck it in the microwave to warm it up. After it was done, he brought the plate back up to his room and left it on the nightstand for Blair when she woke up.

He never ate much since the Cell games. He always felt a permanent sickness in his stomach. Getting your father killed with your shitty attitude and disobedience wasn't exactly an easy thing to forget.

Gohan changed into a new set of dark clothes, careful to make sure he had his arms fully covered. He snatched up his messenger bag, checking to make sure his notebooks and iPod were inside, and took one last glance at Blair. She was still fast asleep, her chest moving up and down in a rhythm that made his heart flutter in an odd way.

 _It's not safe for me to leave her here alone like this…mom could come home, and I still don't know if she's dangerous or not…_

Gohan bit his lip and reconsidered heading to the city. _I could always hang out here, keep an eye on her until mom and Goten get home_. He tossed his bag aside, opened his nightstand drawer and slipped something into his pocket before turning to head back down the stairs. _I need a shower, anyway_.

He turned into the hallway bathroom and locked the door behind him. He pulled off his shirt and glanced at himself in the mirror.

Deep scars crisscrossed his arms and torso.

Gohan's eyes grazed over his reflection, taking in the sight carefully. _If I don't start being more careful, someone's eventually going to notice_ …He grimaced at the thought. There would be some serious hell to pay if he allowed anyone to know what he did to himself.

He stepped into the shower without taking off his jeans and cranked the hot water to maximum heat. He fell back against the tile walls and slowly sank down until he was in a sitting position, and pulled the razor he had taken from his room out of his pocket.

Gohan pressed the blade to his skin, carefully choosing an unmarked spot on his forearm. His thoughts flashbacked to when he was fighting Cell, his father calling out to him, telling him to finish the monster off. He heard his own cocky response, the intense _wanting_ for their enemy to suffer overpowering his senses and blocking out his mission.

He grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, the blade sinking into his flesh as he sliced it down his arm. Vibrant red blood gushed over the pale skin. The scorching water pounded into his wound and across his body like a thousand tiny needles.

The memories continued, and Gohan saw Goku standing before him, smile on his face and two fingers pressed to his forehead. He watched his father disappear with Cell before his eyes, dying in another world, leaving him alone on the empty battlefield. His father refusing to come back, refusing to return to earth with his failure of a son. His mother collapsing into his arms, his little brother being born without a father, and it was all his fault all his fault all his fucking fault

Gohan grunted as he stopped the cut's length just before reaching a major vein. Tears slipped through his closed eyes and dissipated into the water showering over him. He lifted his arm and sliced the razor in a reckless, diagonal fashion across his chest.

In this state, he never felt fully in control of himself. All he knew was that the blade against his skin temporarily distracted him from the godawful guilt he felt burning his mind every day for the last three years.

When the water began to grow cold, Gohan climbed out of the shower, rolling over onto his side and falling onto the bathroom floor. Blood poured onto the tiles, sinking into the crevasses between them. Panting, he forced himself up and wiped himself off with a towel before kneeling down to clean up the floor.

It was no use. Even as he soaked up the red drenched floor, his wounds spilled out more blood, making a bigger mess.

Gohan groaned and grabbed the black t-shirt he had been wearing when he came in. He threw it on to cover his bleeding chest and wrapped a hand towel around the arm he had cut. After he finished cleaning up the mess he'd made of the bathroom, he gathered up all the bloodstained towels and took them back up to his room.

Slamming the attic door behind him, Gohan threw off his blood-soaked shirt, dropped the towels, and walked over to his dresser to change into clean clothes.

"…. Sweetness?"

 _Oh, shit._

Gohan froze. How long had he been in the shower? How could she already be awake? He glanced down at his exposed, bloodied torso and forearm. _Shit shit shit_

"…. What happened?"

He turned, and saw her eyes brimming with tears at the sight of him. "Oh…oh Gohan…"

Gohan held his hands up in defense. "I know this looks bad," he stuttered out. "But I swear, it's nothing. It's just a way to help me get through…. things. Don't make a big deal out of it." It was useless and he knew it; even he could hear the doubt in his voice as he spoke.

Blair's stood and took careful steps over to him. She kneeled in front of him. Their eyes met, one filled with distress and the other with tears.

"Gohan," She ran a perfect hand down his bare chest. It smeared with the red, his sins tainting her pristine skin. "This isn't okay."

Gohan's heart pounded and his skin burned at her touch. "Blair," he breathed out, his voice barely audible. "I'm _fine_."

Blair shook her head gently. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the teen, her warm body against his cold one. The blood from his wounds seeped onto the oversized shirt she wore, their bodies pressing closer together in the distinct patterns of his cuts. Gohan could feel her breasts beneath the shirt against his own bare chest, and he shivered at the sensation.

"Tell me why," she whispered into his ear.

Gohan had never told anyone how he felt about his father's death, or about the things he did to ease the pain. But there was something powerful in the witch's voice, a sort of spell, that intermixed with the vibrations he felt in his young body against her womanly frame and charmed the flow of words from his lips.

"It's all my fault," he choked out. "You wouldn't understand…"

Blair leaned back and peered into Gohan's eyes, glistening with tears, and pressed both her hands against either side of his head. "Show me," she whispered, her eyes expressing an intense glint he had never seen in them before.

Before he knew what was happening, Gohan saw all the memories of the Cell games.

His own sadistic behavior

Goku dying.

Goku refusing to come back.

Only it was all more intense, more vivid than his usual flashbacks. As though he were trapped inside a snowglobe, playing out the scenes with no way to escape.

Blair closed her eyes and nodded, moving her hands away from his head. He felt himself fall forward into her lap, his brain weighing like a bowling ball and his thoughts melting into a murky fog.

Blair ran her delicate fingers through his dark hair. "There, love…I understand now." A few silent drops dripped from her eyes onto his skin.

"Mab…" Gohan managed to breathe out. He could feel himself beginning to drift into unconsciousness.

The witch leaned down and pressed her full lips against his ear. "The wars we've waged upon ourselves and all the shame they've brought," she whispered softly. "That's why. I couldn't explain it before, but I understand now. That's why I wanted you from the moment I saw you."

Before Gohan could question her, he passed out in her lap.

* * *

 **" _I Was Built to Give Up_ " — AKW feat. Among Moons**


	5. Gods and Monsters

Saturday morning came faster than expected. Gohan woke in a daze, his eyes drifting over to glance at the alarm clock.

 _Freaking past noon again._

"Ugh…how do I keep doing this?" He muttered to himself as he rubbed his eyes. Sleeping had never been his forte, yet it seemed ever since he found Blair, his body couldn't get enough of it.

 _Blair…_

Gohan looked down at her, fast asleep in his bed as her human form. Things had been awkward between the two ever since she found out about his cutting, although in a weird way it also seemed to have brought them closer. She stayed human more often, only shifting into her cat form whenever he took her with him to the city. She would snuggle up and purr in his lap while he read to her and pointed out his favorite things about the town.

He knew to keep his guard up, at least until he found out more about the mysteries surrounding the witch. But it was nice to feel more relaxed in her company instead of always on the edge like before.

Hell, it was nice having _someone_ to talk to that didn't look at him like he was a wounded freak. And after the other night, Blair had more reason to view him as that than anyone.

Gohan was careful to restrain himself from his self-harming habits over the past days; he wasn't sure what spell she'd had him under that day, but he wasn't used to feeling so vulnerable to another person. When Blair had placed her hands on his head, it was like his thoughts were under her control, showing her everything she desired to know about his secrets. Like his head was a crystal ball and she was peering into it with her amethyst eyes.

Although neither one of them had the nerve to mention the events that occurred that day, Gohan knew there was something powerful within her that he couldn't explain. And he was eager to get some answers.

He leaned forward and gently shook her. "Hey Mab…Mab, wake up," he called. "We gotta see Vegeta today, remember?"

Blair's eyes flickered open and she let out a cute yawn. "Sleep well, sweetness?" she mumbled.

"Better than I would have liked," Gohan groaned. "His highness is going to be pissed at me for not coming over sooner." He grabbed some clothes from his drawer and began changing. Since Blair had already seen him in all his bloody bare-chested glory, he hardly felt like it mattered to seek privacy in front of her.

Blair giggled. "Hey, I only charmed you sleep more because you needed it," She stood up and stretched her model-esque body under the morning light.

Gohan turned in surprise. "Wait, you what?"

Blair grinned like a Cheshire Cat. "Of course. Why do you think you've gone from being an insomniac to a bum in less than a week?" She shrugged. "You needed help sleeping, so I granted it. Easy."

Gohan blinked a few times in astonishment. _A small power, but still power all the same._ _Just what else can she do?_ He shook it off and continued preparing to see Vegeta. _Hopefully he's figured something out._

He snatched up his bag and held it open for Blair. "You ready?"

"Ready!" She called out cheerfully as she poofed into her cat form and hopped inside.

* * *

Gohan flew at full power to Capsule Corp, careful to make sure Blair the cat stayed securely in his bag. He reached his destination within minutes and rushed into the door. He almost knocked over Bulma, who was heading out at the same time with Trunks.

"Oh, shit!" Gohan cursed as he screeched to a stop before slamming into the startled woman and her four-year-old.

"Gohan!" Bulma fumed. "Language, please!" She held onto Trunk's hand as the little punk gave the teen a Vegeta-like smirk.

"Eh…sorry Bulma," Gohan stuttered. "Just trying to get to Vegeta, I know he hates waiting…"

Bulma's features softened as she chuckled and nodded. "He _is_ an impatient one," she flashed a genuine smile. "I'm so happy you're coming around again, Gohan…we've missed you so much." She patted his head affectionately.

Gohan tried smiling, but knew it only came out as a grimace. "I've missed you guys too," he replied, looking down at Trunks. "Maybe sometime…I could try bringing Goten with me. Y'know, to play with Trunks," _Oh god, why did I just offer that? What the fuck, Gohan?_

Bulma beamed and Trunks flashed a toothy grin. "That'd be great, Gohan!" The woman exclaimed. "I need to pick up some supplies and take Trunks to the park, but good luck on your sparring session with Vegeta!" She winked at him. "Kick his ass for me, will ya? He's been barking at me nonstop and I need someone to put him in his place!"

Gohan nodded sheepishly as he stepped past the woman, breathing a sigh of relief that the social situation was over. He loved Bulma, but his social anxiety never failed to take over. Especially since he had just started visiting again after over a year.

Gohan turned the corner to enter the Gravity Chamber. He pushed the button and as the doors slid open, there stood the Saiyan Prince in all his glory, arms crossed and glaring down at the teen viciously.

"Uhh…heyyy, Vegeta," Gohan tried forcing a smile and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Sorry I'm late, I had to…uh…"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, brat," Vegeta cut him off. "Just get in here. And don't tell me those are the clothes you plan to spar in?" He eyed the boy up and down with an obvious look of disgust.

Gohan peered down at his attire. All black, long sleeves to cover his cuts, and high-top chucks. The usual. "Well…yeah, this is kind of all I own." He mumbled. Blair the cat hopped out of his bag and mewed up at him, her eyes glowing as her voice sneaked its way into his head.

 ** _You look perfect, sweetness. Wouldn't have it any other way._**

Vegeta threw a suspicious look at the creature and turned away. "Whatever. Get in here and let's get started."

* * *

A couple hours later, both Saiyans were dripping with sweat and exhausted from their sparring session. Gohan had several bruises along the left side of his face and torso. _Goddamn, Vegeta is freaking brutal!_

Vegeta was equally as worn out. Blood dripped down the corner of his mouth and his body ached from trying to keep up with the swift young half-breed. "Yeah…you've definitely still got it in you, brat…" he muttered regretfully to himself as he turned down the gravity.

Gohan wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve and sat on the resting bench. "So, now that I've kept my end of the bargain, when are we going to start figuring out this no- _ki_ and witch stuff?" He called to the prince from across the room.

Vegeta looked back with his signature smirk. "Well, you're just ready to go, aren't you?" He walked over to the bench and sat next to him. "You'll be happy to know I've already made arrangements for your witch-hunt."

Gohan gave him a confused glance. "What do you mean?"

An instant after he asked, the teen heard the beeping sound that indicated someone entering the room.

The prince gave an amused grin before jerking his head over to the Gravity Chamber doors. "I invited a special guest you can speak with. And it looks like she came at just the right time."

Gohan's eyes shifted over to where Vegeta had motioned, and his mouth almost dropped in shock as a tiny old woman floated in through the entrance.

 _Baba_.

* * *

Gohan sat cross-legged on the chamber floor across from the ancient woman, her crystal ball between them. A good half hour had passed of him staring down at his hands, wondering what to say. _What the hell, Vegeta…_

He supposed it made sense – who better to ask about witches than a witch herself? He was actually embarrassed that he didn't think of it first. But Baba was hardly popular among the Z Fighters. Though helpful with her magical abilities, her rude nature and hot temper made her less than pleasant to be around.

Gohan bit his lip, unsure of how to approach the matter. He had been so caught up in his friendliness towards Blair that he had forgotten a lot of his original concerns about her.

He could tell Baba was getting agitated.

"Well, come on, boy, what is it you need to know?" Baba shrieked, flailing her tiny arms. "I'm a very busy woman and I don't have all day!"

Gohan felt his chest tighten with anxiety. He was horrible enough at talking to people he was _related_ to; let alone old witches he barely knew!

Vegeta watched them from afar, increasingly annoyed by their lack of conversation. "Dammit, brat, I got the old hag here for you and it cost me a great deal of my woman's money! Now ask her whatever it is you need to know about witches and be done with it!"

Gohan flashed the man an angry look while Baba paused her flailing and narrowed her eyes at the teen curiously. "Witches?" She asked. "What would a boy like you need to know about witches like me?" The old woman glanced over his appearance and scowled. "Don't tell me this has something to do with your devilish new appearance!"

"NO!" Gohan retorted, his head snapping back around to her. He immediately regretted it when the old woman flinched back. "No, I… I just…" he groaned and put his face in his hands. _What the hell am I even supposed to ask? I just wanna know why Blair doesn't have any damn ki, I didn't ask for this!_

Baba's face flared with anger; she definitely wasn't a patient woman. "Well, if you're just going to sit there and waste my time with all your teenage nonsense, then I'm leaving!" She snatched up her crystal ball and turned to float out the door.

"No, no wait!" Gohan reached out to stop her. He glanced over at Blair the cat at the opposite end of the room. Her eyes were narrowed at the old woman, her tail fluffed and twitching anxiously. He could have sworn she held a malevolent glint.

 _The hell is her deal…?_ Gohan watched as Blair shifted her hateful gaze at Baba over to him, immediately filling with warmth and concern.

 ** _Need help, sweetness?_**

Gohan shook his head and jerked it towards the door, motioning for her to leave the chamber. Though she seemed reluctant, Blair obediently trotted out. Before she was gone, he saw yet another flash of contempt in her eyes directed towards Baba.

Baba had reached her limit with Gohan. "I'll ask you one more time," she growled. "What is it about witches that you want to know so bad?"

Gohan recalled when Blair had first told him her name; the way she had spoken it with such importance. He decided on his question and looked up at the old witch.

"Do you know anything about Blair the Witch?"

Baba's eyes grew wide. "H…how?!" she stuttered, falling over and nearly dropping her crystal ball. "How do you know about her? Where did you hear that name?"

Gohan flinched at her reaction. He looked back at Vegeta, who appeared just as surprised by the old woman's terror.

"Baba, what is it? What do you know?" The teen demanded. _Damn, it's a good thing I had Blair leave…what's the old hag so scared of?_

The witch gulped and repositioned herself on the floor, setting her crystal ball between them.

"Blair the Witch…" she began, her old voice cracking. "… was the most powerful witch in all the universe, possibly in all of existence. She was a youthful, beautiful woman, capable of making any man fall to his knees. Many young witches are capable of such bewitching, but Blair…"

Gohan could hear his heart pounding in his ears. _What about Blair? What?_

Baba pursed her lips. "Blair was beyond all of that. The day I first saw her, centuries ago, there was no way of knowing what lied past the lovely façade, or the evils she was capable of."

 _Centuries? What the fuck?_

Gohan thought of Blair; her stunning features and glowing lavender eyes. _Could it all just be a façade? Could she really be ancient like Baba?_ He pushed the thought away. There was no way. If he knew one thing about witches, it was that they were capable of eternal life, but not eternal youth. _Hell, looking at shriveled Baba makes that clear as day!_

"Let me start from the beginning," Baba continued, taking a deep breath. She moved her tiny hands over her crystal ball. "Oh hoi, hoi, hoi, poi…" Gohan cringed at her chanting ritual. However, after a few moments, he watched as images began to take form beneath the glass:

"I first met Blair when she was about your age, boy," Baba began. "She used to be my student, back in the day when I would teach young witches the basics of fortunetelling. It was usually just tarot tricks and the occasional clever girl who could make images appear in the crystal ball. But Blair…she was something special.

"She was a pretty little sprite, and my star pupil. All the girls admired her talents, and every boy around would compete for her affection. She was our village's local celebrity, in a way."

Gohan wasn't sure why, but the mention of other boys "competing" for Blair's hand made him tense up. _Stop being an idiot_ , he scolded himself. _It was forever ago. Besides, of course guys would do that. She's fuckin' cute._ He mentally slapped himself for the last thought.

Oblivious to his internal plight, Baba went on with her tale. "But one day, a vision came to me in my ball. I saw a pretty woman with purple hair, who bore a perfect resemblance to Blair. The vision foretold that she possessed an ancient form of magic, one so powerful that it was forbidden in our world if we wished to keep it safe."

Gohan was mesmerized by the images that conjured in the ball as the old witch spoke. He saw a young version of Blair, her purple hair only reaching down to her shoulders. He felt his heart twist at the sight of her in a fashion he couldn't decipher. _Blair as a girl my age…_

Gohan leaned forward. "What power did she have?"

"You see, boy," Baba continued. "Blair possessed an ancient magic that only goddesses of witchcraft known to have. Goddesses that died out long ago, and split their abilities throughout the bloodline. How she acquired such magic is beyond me, but it made her dangerous."

Gohan narrowed his eyes. "Dangerous how?"

Baba scowled at the teen. "Let me dumb it down for your thick skull, kid. One girl carrying the power of the entire witch heritage is like one Saiyan possessing the combined _ki_ of every single alien on that planet you freaks originated from! It's _dangerous_ for a single being to hold the power to destroy the universe in their palm! So dangerous, in fact, that when I went to the Council of Witches and told them of my vision, they unanimously came to the same conclusion."

"And what did they decide?" Gohan had a sick feeling that he already knew the answer.

Baba glanced up and looked him dead in the eyes. "That she needed to be executed immediately."

Gohan's felt himself shake with rage. "Why the fuck did they decide that?" He thought of his own power, how he possessed aptitudes beyond comprehension in his own young body. "You don't fucking **kill** somebody just because they're strong!"

Baba shook her head. "You don't understand, boy. Blair was more than simply strong; she was a parasite. She possessed the unique ability to latch her soul onto other beings. Upon this, they would gain immortality, along with powers beyond which this world has ever seen."

The old woman's eyes flickered past Gohan and Vegeta. "Perhaps even more powerful than Saiyans."

Vegeta huffed. "Impossible," he muttered. But still, the concept of immortality intrigued him. He perked his ears to listen closely to Baba's words.

"Whatever being Blair latched onto would become her servant. They would immediately acquire an irresistible urge to protect and defend her, even at the cost of their own life. And if Blair should ever die while connected to another being…she would be rebirthed by absorbing their life force, and they would die in her place."

Gohan couldn't believe what he was hearing. _Blair…_

"But that's not all," Baba's voice grew dark. "Not only would Blair gain their life force, but she would absorb all of their strength as well. There was no stopping her if she wanted to latch herself onto one being after another, gaining endless amounts of power for all eternity."

Gohan tried to collect his thoughts, his mind jumbling with visions of Blair and the immense power Baba spoke of, trying to piece it together like puzzle pieces that just didn't fit.

Baba went on. "Just imagine…it would be like every Saiyan combining their power into one, unstoppable being. Blair's abilities had the potential to become so horrifically out of control, there was simply no safe way to allow her to continue living. That's how it was decided by myself and the Council that Blair needed to die immediately."

Gohan stiffened. "I still don't see how that's the answer," he said defensively. "What if she wasn't evil? She could have been _good_ for all you people knew! She could have used her magic to protect you!" He was appalled by his own words. _Why am I so fucking eager to defend her?_

Baba shook her head again." I'm afraid not, boy. Blair somehow found out about her execution, and you know what she did?"

Gohan scoffed. "I'm guessing she wasn't too happy with you trying to _murder_ her?"

"That's one way of putting it, brat," Baba's wrinkled lips twisted into a morbid grin. "I had underestimated Blair. She was never a beat behind. When she found out we planned to exterminate her, she latched herself onto a close friend of hers – a clever little witch who happened to be the last of a bloodline that had the ability to shapeshift into animals. Once Blair gained this magic, it is believed that she shifted into a black cat and escaped into the night, and has never been seen again since."

Gohan bit his lip, realizing the woman's story matched up. _Blair turns into a black cat…could that be a power she stole?_ He urged his disbelief to overcome the evidence before him. "You said she only gained the abilities of her latchings once they died, though, and that they became immortal once she contracted with them. How could her friend have died within the same night in order for Blair to gain that?"

"Your persistence to defend the wench baffles me," Baba rolled her eyes up at the ceiling. "You clearly don't understand what this girl was. Yes, Blair latched right onto her friend… just so she could kill the girl herself and absorb her powers." The old woman closed her eyes, clearly saddened by the memories.

Gohan felt his blood boiling beneath his skin. _There's no way. There's no goddamn way the Blair I know would–_

Baba could see the denial on Gohan's face.

"Perhaps I should show you, if you don't believe me?"

The old witch wiggled her fingers over her crystal ball, chanting her silly phrase again, and Gohan watched as the image of Blair stirred up beneath the glass:

* * *

 _A young Blair was standing next to another girl her age, the one Baba claimed could shapeshift. Blair held a dagger in her hand, smiling at the girl, who seemed both scared and excited at the same time._

 _"Ready, Merla?" Blair addressed her friend as she lifted the blade to her palm._

 _Merla seemed to hesitate. "Are you sure it's safe? That I'll become as strong as you?"_

 _Blair giggled. "Of course, Merla. I'm the best upcoming witch this dying village has had in centuries. I know what I'm doing." She flashed her lavender eyes mischievously. "Besides, don't you want Atlas to finally notice you?"_

 _Merla's face flushed red and she shoved her hand out to Blair. "Shh, don't say that! Just do it! I'm ready!"_

 _Blair's smile widened, and she sliced the knife down her palm as black blood dripped between her fingers. "Now you. And once we're the same, I promise you – Atlas will never give me a second glance. You'll be the one he admires."_

 _Merla was practically shaking with anticipation as she took the dagger from Blair and swiped it down her own palm. She glanced up at the violet-haired witch, who nodded, and the two tightly clasped hands, black and red blood intermixing into the dribbles spilling beneath them._

 _A purple mist formed around their hands, and Merla's blonde locks seemed to rustle as an aura of vibrant new power surrounded her._

 _"Blair?!" She called out excitedly, bursting into a huge grin. "Blair, I think it worked!"_

 _Blair smiled back at her friend, though it was melancholy and regretful. "Yes, it worked, Merla."_

 _The blonde witch let go of Blair's hand and spun around a few times in celebration. "I can't believe it! You were right! I can just feel it in me, growing and moving and breathing!" She turned back over and reached out to Blair to embrace her. "Thank you so so much, Bla–"_

 _Her words were cut off as Blair casually struck her fist through the girl's chest, killing her instantly._

* * *

Gohan couldn't believe his eyes _. No no no no no no_

There it was; the image of Blair in the crystal ball, cloak soaked in blood, arm stabbed through the little witch's body as her victim's eyes welled up with grisly realization. Blair's arm pierced right through Merla's chest, her fist on the other end clenching the girl's heart, dripping with blood. Her expression revealing no more signs of remorse or sadness; only a blank beauty.

Baba watched along with him, her expression mournful. "Do you understand now, boy? Bair does no one favors. She latches to kill, and kills to gain."

Gohan desperately tried to put the pieces together. _Blair possessed an ancient magic that allowed her to latch onto other beings, granting them immortality and immense powers. When they died, she would absorb all of it. Should she die before them, she not only absorbed their power, but would rebirth and live as they died in her place…_

 _…only, it seemed as though Blair was more interested in killing her latchings herself, stealing their power upfront._

Vegeta grunted and crossed his arms. "So, pray tell me, old woman, what became of this mythical bitch?"

Baba scowled at the prince. "It's no myth, you dog, and I suggest you take this more seriously. Blair the Witch has been hunted for centuries, and no one has ever managed to find her. We know from witch hunts that she's latched onto countless beings since the day of her disappearance, so her powers are bound to be at frightening levels…" The old witch dimmed her crystal ball down. "I can't even find her using this… it's impossible for anyone to, because she has no _ki_ for us to sense."

Vegeta's raised an eyebrow. "No _ki_ , you say?" Gohan's black cat flashed in his mind. Pieces of the puzzle began to take shape in his head.

Baba nodded. "Neither her nor whoever she latches onto possess a life force. It's strange, and it makes it all the more difficult to find her."

Vegeta, keeping the black cat in mind, shook his head. "Interesting tale, hag, but there's no way it's true. If the bitch could just run around latching onto people like a slutty flea, she certainly would have tried jumping onto the back of a Saiyan by now." The prince grinned with pride at the thought of his own power.

Baba frowned. "To be fair, it's not that easy," the witch explained. "Blair can only latch onto those who give her permission to, such as Merla did. They need to give up their soul willingly. However, she's a conniving, manipulative, beautiful devil. She could easily convince anyone of anything, especially after promising them immortality. _Especially_ men."

Vegeta smirked. "Immortality, huh? Maybe I should seek out the wench myself."

The old woman scowled at the prince before turning back to face Gohan. "Now, boy, do you care to explain why you're asking abou–"

But when she turned to where the teen had been sitting, he had already stormed out.

* * *

 **" _Gods and Monsters_ " — Lana Del Rey**


	6. Friendly Advice

_Where the FUCK was she?_

Gohan ran through the endless corridors of Capsule Corp. Blair hadn't been waiting for him outside the Gravity Chamber; evidently, she had disappeared before Baba finished speaking.

 _Fuck she must have heard, she knows I know everything FUCK_

His mind raced as he searched down the halls, occasionally bumping into Bulma's employees. Eventually, one of them grabbed him by the arm and yanked him to a stop.

" _Excuse me_ , do you need to be escorted out of here?" It was a middle-aged woman with a furious expression behind her wire-trimmed glasses.

"I…I uh…" Gohan glanced around the room, noticing that everyone had stopped what they were doing to stare at him. Just like in the city, their looks ranged from anger to disgust, only with the addition of disturbed.

Gohan realized he was panting heavily, and covered in perspiration. Not to mention he was dressed in his usual dark attire, topped off with the bruising from Vegeta during their spar.

"Get this kid out of here, NOW, and consider calling the police," the woman commanded one of the workers, a twenty-something male with dark hair. "Make sure they check to see if he's on substances. We don't need addicts running around Capsule Corp or Bulma will have our heads and our jobs." The man she spoke to nodded and stepped towards Gohan, placing a firm grip on his arm.

 _Do they seriously think I'm some fucking drug addict?_

Gohan felt his features twist into a scowl. This wasn't anything new. People had always greeted him with snap assumptions ever since he changed his outlook. But as he soaked in their disapproving glares, he realized he just wasn't in the mood today. It was one thing to hate himself over the things that he had done – it was another for strangers to constantly judge him over his appearance alone.

He snapped his head around towards the woman and leaned in close, eyes burning with hatred.

" _Fuck_. _You_." He snarled. The woman stepped back, pressing her lips tight.

"Come on, kid," the man who had him by the arm demanded, pulling Gohan towards the exit. "You're going down to the station."

Gohan let out a maniacal laugh. He knew it only made him look worse, but he didn't care. As far as everyone else was concerned, they were high up on pedestals and he was the shit they wiped off their feet.

"I'd like to hear what Bulma would have to say about that," he spat in the man's face. "I highly doubt she would appreciate her employees manhandling her dead best friend's son." He yanked his arm from the man's grasp easily, who gasped at the teenager's words and strength.

Gohan glared around the room as everyone stood back with caution. He looked down at the ground, pushing down the ball of shame he felt forming in the pit of his stomach, and stormed the rest the way out of the Capsule Corp building.

He had to find Blair.

* * *

Gohan flew all around the area surrounding Capsule Corp, scanning the ground for the little black cat. _Goddamn it, where the hell is she?!_

He noticed two figures outside the front doors – Vegeta and Baba, no doubt trying to find him – and quickly suppressed his _ki_. He didn't feel like being bombarded with questions, especially now that Blair was missing.

Gohan returned to the ground, hiding in the back behind some bushes and watched as the two scanned the sky for him. Once the pair seemed to give up, Vegeta walked back inside and Baba floated away to god-knows-where on her crystal ball. Gohan breathed a sigh of relief before running off into the nearby woods. He needed a solitary place to think.

The teenager paced around the trees, his head spinning and his body trembling with rage. He tried to form the mess in his mind into clear thoughts, but all he could hear was Blair's voice:

 ** _"Don't you see that's why I want you?"_**

 ** _"And not to mention your ki. I haven't felt one as strong as you in centuries!"_**

 ** _"Well, I hope to break down any barriers between us. I want your soul, fully exposed and out in the open."_**

 ** _"That's why I wanted you from the moment I saw you."_**

All the phrases and remarks he had once been confused by suddenly made sense, shapeshifting into a horrific realization.

Gohan fell to his knees on the grassy floor. He crawled over to a nearby tree and pressed his back against it, grasping his head in his hands.

 _Fuck fuck fuck_

The phrases shortened into mere fragments, banging around in his skull like wind chimes that rang out in her honeysweet voice.

 ** _"That's why I want you…as strong as you in centuries…I want your soul…from the moment I saw you…"_**

The web tied together in a terrifying fashion he didn't want to understand.

 _She wants to fucking latch onto me…_

It made perfect sense. Everything Baba had said about Blair being a parasite hungry for power. How she was still youthful after centuries.

Surely, she had learned about the Saiyans and their abilities over the years? What other reason could she have avoided going after their power before, other than knowing they would never grant her permission? Vegeta and Goku were both married, so it wasn't like she could have seduced them. Even the promise of power and immortality wouldn't have tempted them. Goku was too proud a fighter to take a free handout, and Vegeta had mellowed down on his bloodthirst.

But now there was him. Gohan, a damaged kid that she could easily manipulate with the promise of friendship. A kid who just happened to be the strongest being in the world.

He gasped as he recalled the memory of when he first saw her in her human form, standing in his room.

 ** _"I'm going to give you my undying loyalty, Gohan."_**

…His name. How did she know his name? He hadn't told her. Before that moment she had only been a cat, and he sure as hell didn't bother with cordial introductions when trying to figure out who the fuck she was.

 _Has she been searching for me? How else would she know my name, unless I was the next target on her latch list?_

Gohan clenched his fists and punched into the ground beneath him.

 _How could I have been so fucking stupid? Why have I been playing house with a girl I knew nothing about? Someone who could have killed my entire family! And still could…!_

As Gohan mentally destroyed himself, he didn't realize that an old friend was sensing his distraught _ki_ , and on his way to aid him before his powers pushed him over a dangerous edge.

* * *

Vegeta was entering the Capsule Corp kitchen for a drink when Bulma and Trunks burst through the door. Bulma frantically headed over to her husband, with Trunks toddling after her.

"Vegeta, where's Gohan? I got a call from Kaori saying a kid in all black was here, and ran out, and I thought maybe they meant him…" Bulma began rambling away until the prince lifted a hand, motioning for her to pause.

"I can't understand a damn thing you're saying." He was clearly annoyed that he had to deal with the demi-Saiyan more than he'd already had in one day. "What's all this about the brat?"

"I'm asking you where he is and if he's okay!"

The Saiyan grunted and walked over to the refrigerator, pulling out a jug of water. "Yes, if you must know he went a psychotic freakout during his visit here. Thankfully it was after our spar, otherwise I might have made him disappear myself." He unscrewed the cap and began drinking the entire contents all at once.

Bulma could feel herself fuming with anger, and quickly stepped away to take Trunks upstairs to his room so he wouldn't see his parents fight. When she came back, she placed her hands on her hips and stared her husband down.

"Vegeta, you will not talk about Gohan that way, and I need you to be helpful for _once_."

Vegeta put down the empty jug and cocked an eyebrow at his wife, impressed by her boldness. "Woman, why do you care how I treat Dracula Junior? He's disappeared on everyone for a year and when he does bother to come around, he's a stuttering mess," He took a seat at one of the kitchen bar stools. "Not to mention he's become obsessed with pointless shit like witches. That brat needs to shift his focus and start training in case a new threat comes along; this time without his fool of a father to pick up the pieces when he fucks everything up."

Bulma finally exploded. She ran up to her husband and raised her voice like she never had before. "You WILL NOT talk about him that way, because he is my best friend's son and I love him. I don't care what ' _shit'_ he's into; that kid saved all of us –including you, your wife, _and_ your son – so how about you repay that debt, give him a break, and hold your tongue before speaking about him or Goku in a disrespectful manner?"

Vegeta, though irritated beyond comprehension, couldn't help but admire the fire in his wife's eyes. The fact that he had managed to find such a female never ceased to amaze him. He decided to show a little appreciation for the woman who amused him so, and if assisting Gohan in his witch hunt would do that, so be it.

 _Besides_ , Vegeta gave a small half-smile. _If what the hag said is true, finding this witch could be beneficial to me as well._

"If it will make you stop your barking," Vegeta growled. "Then I'll consider being more _cordial_ to Kakabrat. But I'm not going on a wild goose chase to find wherever he ran off to." Vegeta could already feel Gohan's _ki_ again – he wasn't too far away, and was clearly in some sort of emotional breakdown. _Not my problem. Kd's gotta handle himself at some point._

Bulma grimaced at his response. _Guess that's better than nothing_. "Fine, Vegeta, don't go after him. I'll call Chichi tonight and ask her to make sure he's okay and that he continues coming over. And when he does, you WILL be nice to him, understand?" She bit her lip. "I'm worried about him, Vegeta. He hasn't been himself since…" she trailed off.

The Saiyan softened at his wife's concern. _Why of all weaknesses does mine have to be a damn Earth woman_? "I'll keep my word. Now go call his sad excuse of a mother and let me know when he plans to be over next."

Bulma nodded and walked off to use the phone in the privacy of their bedroom.

Vegeta growled to himself and stepped outside, staring off into the distance.

 _Damn brat, causing me all this trouble_. But he couldn't help feeling pleased him that he would be spending more time with the teen on his witch hunt, especially after hearing the Baba's story on this so-called "Blair the Witch."

 _Hmm…immortality doesn't sound half-bad_ , the prince smirked to himself. _Let's just wait to find out if this story is true or not when the half-breed comes back._

 _And when he brings that ki-less cat back, too._

* * *

Gohan remained slumped against the tree, head clasped in his hands, trying to contain his rage.

 _No…this is exactly how dad died, because you weren't in control…just control yourself, dammit…_

His chest was heaving and he could feel his throat tighten as involuntary whimpers began to choke out. _Fuck, get a grip on yourself!_

Just as Gohan could feel himself slipping into an anger induced frenzy, he felt himself being lifted off the ground by a pair of strong arms. Startled, his eyes snapped open and he found himself face to green face with his old mentor.

"Piccolo?" He mumbled out, eyes struggling to stay open. Although Gohan was tall for his age, he still felt small in the arms of the towering Namekian.

"From the feel of your _ki_ , I figured you could use some help," the alien grunted. "And some explaining to do about your current state and…wardrobe." Piccolo's lips curled slightly at the sight of the macabre boy in his arms.

Gohan hardly heard him before passing out in his arms.

* * *

When Gohan came to, he found himself lying on the ground, surrounded by wasteland, with his head in Piccolo's lap. He groaned and glanced up, finding his mentor staring back down at him.

"About time you woke up," the Namekian grumbled. "It's been a couple hours. I was beginning to think you were more damaged than I originally thought."

Gohan sat up, shaking the dizziness from his head. The fact that Piccolo was next to him made him feel unbearably awkward, seeing as he had avoided him for several months.

His thoughts flashed back to their last meeting, over in the mountains at Piccolo's favorite meditating spot:

* * *

 _The two were sitting silently, Piccolo meditating and Gohan reading. They did this often; preferring to enjoy one another's quiet company rather than talk, something neither of them had ever been skilled at._

 _Eventually, Piccolo broke the silence._

 _"Gohan."_

 _"Hmm?" The teen glanced up from his book._

 _"We should spar. Get you back up to the level you were at, maybe even higher."_

 _"…What the hell brought this on?"_

 _"Don't disrespect me, kid," Piccolo snapped back. "I have a bad feeling about the future of this planet. One I can't describe. But it would be wise of you to push yourself once more, for the sake of keeping this world safe should another threat come along."_

 _Gohan's blood boiled at his mentor's suggestion. "No." he replied flatly, refusing to look the alien in the eyes and instead stared back down at his book._

 _"Gohan, you don't understand. I truly believe Earth is in dan–"_

 _"I said NO, dammit!"_

 _Losing his patience, Piccolo grabbed the teen by the wrist and twisted him around to look at him. He was shocked when the action caused Gohan to cry out in pain._

 _Piccolo froze, glancing down at Gohan's arm. He watched in silence as blood trickled from underneath the long black sleeve, bright red against his green skin._

 _Gohan's eyes grew wide with horror. He looked up at his mentor, fear clouding over them, before pulling his arm away and flying home at full speed._

* * *

Gohan's face crumpled at the memory. Piccolo had always been the one person he could still communicate with after the Cell games. And now, he had been forced to avoid his mentor for months.

"Sorry, Piccolo. I just…" He struggled to find the right words. What had been up with him back in the forest? He felt like he was going insane. He shivered as he could feel the sick need for a razor crawl into his brain.

Piccolo's voice lowered. "Don't be sorry, kid," he said more softly than before. "I'm saying that I was worried about you. You haven't been yourself lately." The alien peered off into the wasteland stretched before them.

Gohan stiffened at Piccolo's words. _Oh, hell no, we are NOT discussing that._ He scanned over the area. "Where are we?" he asked, squinting his eyes at the land as a strange sense of déjà vu came over him.

Piccolo seemed to smile as he glanced back at the boy. "Break Wasteland," he replied. "Where I took you when I first met you, and spent a year here training you…" The Namekian trailed off. "It was here that I realized I had a true friend in you, Gohan."

The teenager looked around again and slowly began to recognize the land. _It all still looks so familiar…_ A wave of nostalgia washed over him.

Piccolo continued, his gruff voice slowly becoming more strained. "Gohan, I wanted to take you here today because we have some serious discussing to do. It's one thing to mourn the loss of a loved one. You've gone beyond that and it needs to stop. Fast."

Gohan groaned at the mention of losing a loved one. He pulled a knee to his chest and hugged it tight. "I'm not _mourning_ , Piccolo," he insisted. "I just don't like being around people anymore. That's all." He knew Piccolo could hear the denial in his voice; hell, he heard it himself.

The Namekian grunted and reached out for his hand. He lifted it gently, careful not to hurt Gohan like before.

"Gohan," his voice was unusually soft. "Show me your wrists."

Gohan's breath caught in his throat. "No."

"Gohan," Piccolo spoke more firmly. "Show me, _now_."

"NO!"

"Gohan, you will show me this instant or I'll take a look for myself!" Piccolo's voice was practically growling with anger at this point, but his eyes only filled with growing concern.

"FUCK OFF!" Gohan snapped his head towards his mentor and screamed, instantly receiving a hard fist in return and falling to the ground. He lifted a hand to his face where he'd been hit. It was so strange, being hit by Piccolo in a fashion that wasn't for training.

Piccolo seemed to realize what he had done and froze. He stepped over the teen, kneeling beside him. "Gohan…" He pulled the boy's hand away from his face, revealing a harsh red mark on his cheek from where he had struck him. Piccolo grimaced at the sight, disliking what he had done. But he was far from ashamed _. He needs to be shown what he's doing to himself is wrong. If force is the only way to accomplish that…_

Gohan's arm in hand, Piccolo gently pulled off the black arm warmer, ignoring Gohan's protests and attempts to yank his arm away. Once removed, he saw a deep and somewhat fresh cut from Gohan's wrist down the length of his forearm. Surrounding it were lighter white marks that had healed over time.

"Gohan…" The sight was far worse than the Namekian had expected.

The teenager roughly pulled his arm away and looked up into the saddened face of his mentor.

"Piccolo, let me go…I need to go find Blair." His words were void of emotion.

The Namekian slowly lifted the boy up and pulled him close to his chest. "Gohan, what are you doing?" The firmness in his gruff voice was there, but with a concerned edge he only ever used with the demi-Saiyan.

His hands shaking, Gohan allowed a few tears to slip from his eyes before balling his fists up and knocking the Namekian away with a Saiyan force.

"Not now, Piccolo."

With that, Gohan burst away at full speed, just like he had months before.

Piccolo stood alone in the wasteland, knowing the demi-Saiyan was far too fast for him to keep up with. A sick feeling formed in his gut, and he clenched his fists with determination.

 _It seems my prediction was true,_ Piccolo thought to himself. _Not only is an enemy nearby, but Gohan is deeply disturbed by Goku's death…more so than I thought._

 _How am I supposed to save the kid who's the strongest being on Earth when he's his own biggest threat?_

Piccolo glanced up at sky where the teenager had flown off to. He concluded that it would be wise to leave Gohan alone for now, seeing as their encounter hadn't gone as he had hoped. _Don't plan on being rid of me so easily, Gohan_ , he felt his concern for the boy he had grown to look at like a son overflow within him. _We're not done with this yet, not by a long-shot._

As the Namekian flew his way back to the wilderness he called home, Gohan's words racked his brain as he pondered:

 _Who is this 'Blair' Gohan is searching for?_

* * *

By the time Gohan returned home, it was dark out. He snuck in through the front door as quietly as he could, careful not to make too much noise.

It was no use. The second he walked in, he saw his mother sitting on the living room couch, waiting for his return.

As the door creaked, Chichi jumped up, running over to her son and pulling him into the house forcefully.

"Gohan, where have you been? Bulma called, she said you weren't well, that you were causing a scene at Capsule Corp and running off…" her voice trailed off into a sound that Gohan thought sounded like worry, but knew better than to believe.

"Yeah…I'm sorry, mom," Gohan replied, scratching the back of his head and trying to force a grin on his face. "After training with Vegeta I decided to get some fresh air, and I guess I forgot to tell them I was leaving." _Fuck, have I always been this bad at lying?_

Chichi clearly didn't believe him, but nodded anyway. "Well, at least you're home now. Dinner is in the fridge if you still want it. I'm going to make sure Goten is asleep." She began walking away to her youngest son's room before turning back to her eldest. "Oh, and Gohan?"

"Yeah?"

"Bulma asked me to make sure you keep going to Capsule Corp," she spoke with an underlying firmness, as if she held the same expectations. "So…make sure you see to that." She didn't mention the ripe bruise on his cheek.

"I will. Thanks." Gohan sighed and headed up to the attic. _Goddamn, this day has been a nightmare…_

As the teen stripped into some night clothes and slumped down on his bed, he glanced sadly at the empty space next to him. Thoughts of Blair raced through his mind.

He was about to drift off into sleep when suddenly, he heard a small rapping sound coming from the window above him.

* * *

 **" _Friendly Advice_ " — Bad Books **


	7. Serpent Queen

_As the teen stripped into some night clothes, he slumped down onto his bed. He glanced sadly at the empty space next to him, thoughts of Blair racing through his mind, when suddenly he heard a small rapping sound against his window coming from above him._

Startled, Gohan whirled his head around to look up.

There at his window, looking through the glass with her emerald green eyes, was Blair in her cat form, swiping her tiny padded paws over the surface. Even as an animal, her eyes were deeply expressive, and Gohan could swear that within the bright orbs he could interpret a heart-shattering mixture of sadness and pleading.

 ** _Sweetness, we need to talk._**

Gohan shuddered as his head filled with the honey-sweet voice that penetrated his brain. Refusing to be drawn into her spell, he balled his hands into fists, anger clouding his eyes.

"Go away, Blair," he growled quietly, knowing she would be able to read his lips even with the glass between them. "Go. Away. _Now_."

The cat's eyes flashed with hurt for an instant, before narrowing into hateful slits with a malevolent glint. She positioned herself in an offensive stance, her black fur bristling. The teen watched as her needle-point claws slowly dragged their way across the glass, screeching into his ears.

 _Oh, shit…_

Before Gohan could attempt to transform into his Super Saiyan state, Blair's creature body instantly dissipated into purple wisps of smoke and seeped through the window glass. The teen trembled and his eyes bulged as the purple vapor took form and slowly became the lean, model-esque body of Blair the Witch…standing completely nude, just a few inches taller than him, her green eyes luminescent in the darkness.

Gohan tried stopping his breath from catching in his throat, tried stopping himself from gawking like a coward instead of going Super and knocking the witch to Namek and back, tried stopping his eyes from wandering all over her perfect skin and toned body…

"Sweetness," Blair's voice maintained the sweet undertones, only now it was also coated with venom. "I said we need to talk, and I won't have you turning me away. Not after the amount of effort I've put into you already." Her lips curled back with every sharp word, exposing her tiny fangs.

Gohan finally snapped back into reality, setting his jaw tight and staring the woman down with equal intensity. "I know what you are, you _parasite_ ," he spat the last word. He could feel his chest tightening up with guilt as he verbally attacked her, but he couldn't let the façade affect him. Not after what he knew. "And I'm not about to fall for your tricks. You're staying the fuck away from me and my family, or I won't hesitate to kill you where you stand." He could feel his mess of gothy black hair start to bristle up as a light breeze of air whirled around him, his ki slowly rising.

Blair seemed caught off guard for a millisecond, before retaining her calm composure and allowed a cruel grin to spread across her pink lips.

"Oh, love, whatever are you doing?" She spoke with her honey-saturated voice as she slowly took heavy steps toward the teen, cocking her head innocently.

In a flash of purple mist, she knocked Gohan onto his bed, the black covers crumpling underneath them. She pinned both his arms to his sides, her sharp nails digging into his pale skin. She hovered just inches over the boy, her Cheshire Cat face to his startled one.

"Did you really think _you_ were going to hurt _me_ , Saiyan boy?"

Gohan's senses clouded over until the only sound he could hear was his pounding heart, thumping against his ribs like a war drum. The naked witch was straddling him, her legs on either side of his body, her breasts softly grazing against the cloth of his shirt. He could feel his body begin to burn as he struggled to breathe under her weight. Despite being fairly thin, her body somehow managed to feel like a boulder resting on top of him.

The scene had Gohan feeling utterly pathetic. He was half-human, half-Saiyan, the most powerful mixture of species; he was the strongest in the world, the defeater of Cell, the Earth's savior…and yet here he was, ready to go Super, and tackled down by some naked girl who was crushing him under her weight…

"B…Blair…" the boy gasped for breath as he pushed against the woman's arms, struggling to get her off of him. _Why the fuck was she so strong?!_

"Get off of me, you parasitic bi–" His scream was cut off by her slamming her mouth against his, her lips crushing his own and her tiny fangs biting into the sensitive flesh, stinging and causing thin trickles of blood to run down his jawline.

She moved away, running her sleek tongue over his face and licking away the excess blood.

Gohan squeezed his eyes shut, his confused young body battling between emotions of pleasure and disgust. Memories flashed in his mind, of her hands on his head, forcing his thoughts to reveal their secrets to her. Her hands on the little witch's head. Absorbing the girl's abilities…

 _Oh fuck no_

"You fucking bitch, you latched onto me didn't you, you sick bitch…" He whimpered out incoherently as she moved her face away from his.

Blair's smile sparkled through the darkness. She giggled softly and pressed her lips to Gohan's ear.

"What's wrong, sweetness?" She whispered, the sound dripping like honey down the teen's ear canal and flooding his brain. "Did you let old Baba make you frightened of me…?"

She slowly curled her fingers around the color of Gohan's dark shirt, and his eyes bulged as she pulled the fabric down, revealing more of his pale skin than he felt comfortable.

"…Blair…"

The witch widened her smile and lowered her head to the teen's chest, pressing soft, sensual kisses along his collarbone and up his neck. She stopped when she reached his ear once more, pressing their chests close together, her breath like mint and her tongue slick against his skin.

"Sweetness…" The malevolence was still clear in her voice, only a sudden clang of the old wind chimes seemed to seep in. "Please just listen to me, dear. I know how I come across…" She looked up into Gohan's eyes, who was surprised to find her eyes now shimmering with unshed tears.

Gohan's body quivered at all the sensations she was causing him to feel. His body felt like it was on fire, burning like a hot coal under her warm skin. He tried escaping it; escaping all the strange things she was making him feel, desperate not to fall into her spell like a fly in a spider's web.

Yet wherever Gohan tried to get his mind to go, all he could see was Blair. Blair the cat gazing at him in the streets. Blair the woman snuggled up with him on his bed. Blair's sing-song voice that chimed like the sweetest melody no musician could ever bring to life in chords. Blair running her hand down his bloody, bare chest, tearing up and hugging him as he bled onto the floor…

 _Why is she suddenly all there is…?_

He lifted a trembling hand up to the witch's face and brushed a falling tear away with his thumb.

"Mab…" he tried to remember Baba's tale. The images of Blair piercing the little witch's heart out without a sign of remorse reflecting in her beautiful eyes. The thought of her latching onto people and killing them seconds later, her sole purpose in life to gain as much power as she could.

 _Can I really buy into her bipolar bullshit…knowing what she is…what she's done to other people..._

 _…_ _what she might have done to me…?_

"Mab," he said again, a bit more firmly. They looked into one another's eyes, each holding their breath for a few seconds at a time.

Gohan choked down the growing ball of fear forming in his throat. "Did you…latch onto me?" He struggled to get the question out, fearing for the answer.

Blair bit her lip and shook her head, her purple hair swaying back and forth. "No…no sweetness…I never even tried. I would have needed your permission, anyway…" she looked off to the side, stories dancing in her eyes that she wasn't speaking aloud.

Relief washed over Gohan's burning body. He glanced down at their bare chests, his splatters of blood swiped across both their faces and torsos. He could still feel the hot, tiny wounds stinging his lips. His pounding heart felt like it was bruising his ribs at this point.

"Mab…what is all this?" He whispered quietly, trying to shake the sensations from his body.

A small laugh escaped her throat, though it sounded more sad than it did humorous. "This is…honestly the only way I know to get anyone to listen to me, sweetness," Her face crumpled and she looked away, seemingly ashamed. "You…you let that devil woman Baba feed you stories about me…you believed her over me…. you let her talk about me like that…"

Her bottom lip began to tremble. "I tried…I wanted to stay and defend myself, but she had that damn ball showing you everything…I didn't know what else to do but run…" Her eyes flashed back to Gohan's, green and glistening with tears. "But…but everything just leads back to you…I can't just start over after establishing so much with you already…and you wouldn't even talk to me, sweetness, so what was I supposed to do…?"

Gohan stared deep into her eyes, trying to find a sign of falsity or façade. _Could she be telling the truth?_ He didn't know Baba all that well, and it wasn't like she was considered a 'good' guy, anyway. _Maybe she had told lies about Blair…?_

He mentally shook his head. It was impossible to deny; he had seen the truths told by her crystal ball, all the images of Blair killing and absorbing…it made him sick. He needed answers.

 _Well, we're clearly getting nowhere by fighting…maybe a different approach…_

Gohan reached out and gently pushed on Blair, indicating for her to get up off of him. A look of hesitance crossed her, but she complied.

Gohan stood up off the bed, his legs still weak from the cocktail of emotions Blair had caused him. He picked up a jacket off the floor of his room and brought it back to the bed with him. Sitting back down cross-legged next to Blair, he took the jacket and gently wrapped it around her body, shielding her nakedness.

"You don't need to do those things to get me to talk to you, Mab," the teen spoke softly as he brushed stray strands of hair away from her face, sticking to her cheeks from the wetness of her tears.

Blair's eyes grew wide with expression; an elaborate mix of confusion, sadness, and adoration. She wrapped the jacket tightly around her, and leaned forward into Gohan's arms, her head pressed against his chest as he held her.

"Sweetness…" she choked between sobs of tears. "Sweetness…" She pressed herself closely against his chest, listening to his heartbeat pound in her ears.

Gohan bit his lip and awkwardly petted her soft hair in an attempt to comfort her. "I do need you to talk to me, though. I need to know if it's all true. Everything Baba said." He tried to sound firm and gentle at the same time, desperately hoping it came across as intended. "Tell me, Mab…what Baba said about your powers…is it true?"

Blair whimpered into his chest, and he could feel tears dripping onto his skin. "It's true…" she choked. "I'm just a parasite, like you said…"

Gohan felt his chest tighten with the weight of the realization, as well as guilt for the previous insult. _Don't feel bad, you idiot…She really has killed people…she really does absorb powers…_

He took a deep breath and spoke again, even more so frightened for the next answer. "Mab…did you come to me because you _wanted_ to latch onto me?"

Blair wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of his jacket. "No…" she whispered softly. "No, love, I didn't. I promise."

Though the response relieved him, Gohan knew better than to not be skeptical. "Then why–"

"Sweetness," Blair cut him off. "You don't understand. I didn't mean for you to find me that night at all." She glanced up into his eyes, her emeralds overflowing with pain and despair. "For centuries, I've been killing without thinking. Never letting myself get attached to anyone I latch with, because my only goal is to kill them. I know it's wrong. I used to not care. But I _had_ to." She tightened her grip on Gohan's arm. "Baba…she's had the witch community hunting me for centuries. If they ever found me…" her lips quivered and her expression grew darker. "They would burn me. And I'd be nothing."

Blair loosened her grip on him, curling into herself. "I don't want to be nothing…I just…want to _exist_ in peace…" Tears dripped onto her perfect fingers, folded in her lap. "But I need power to protect myself, and so I take it…"

Gohan stared down into her, speechless, trying to see if she was telling the truth.

Blair's face crumpled and she pressed her wet cheeks against Gohan's chest once more. "You should understand…" She whispered, running her fingertips along the scars that marked his torso. "The guilt consuming you…like you feel with your dad…"

Gohan stiffened at her words. _Fuck no not that fuck no_

Blair continued on, not seeing his reaction. "I know it's a pointless life. Everyone wants me dead anyway. They have for centuries. Hunting me down, plastering my face all over the witch haven towns, eager to see me burn to my death before their eyes…" Her green eyes lit up with an anger Gohan hadn't seen before.

The witch's eyes watered right back up as she looked up at Gohan, giving him a sad smile. "There's only so much power out there, love…it was only a matter of time before they get me…you can only live an eternity of loneliness for so long…"

Gohan felt his heart melt at the sight of her, shaking and crying before him, her beautiful, lovely features twisted in pain…He lied down and pulled her with him, hugging her body against his.

"If it's all so pointless, then tell me why," he whispered to her. "Tell me why you're here with me."

Blair smiled up at him. "Sweetness, when our eyes met, I knew instantly that killing wasn't the answer. Nor was death. It just couldn't be. The feel of your _ki_ , the look in your eyes…all the sadness and guilt dancing in them…"

She slipped her hand into his. "Right before that car was about to end it all for me…you inspired me…I don't need power. Killing isn't the answer; not when you exist."

Gohan breathed quietly next to her as their hands slowly found their way to one another, entwining like they had some nights ago.

"Just tell me why, Mab…" he asked softly. "Why do you need me if you aren't latching onto me?"

Blair smiled widely, her green eyes sparkling. "Because I know now. I don't need a latch, love," she answered him confidently. "I need a protector."

* * *

 **"** ** _Serpent Queen Pt. 2_** **" — Goodnight Nurse**


	8. Kill All Your Friends

_Protector_.

The word reverberated through Gohan's mind as he stroked his thumb across Blair's hand, still clasped with his as she slept soundly next to him. He could feel the first rays of sunlight begin to beam through the window, reminding him he had yet to get any sleep. _Guess her sleep spell finally broke_ , the teen thought bitterly to himself.

He glanced down at the witch nuzzled against him, recalling her revelation of why she came home with him that rainy night as a cat, her honey sweet voice echoing through his head:

 _"_ _I don't need a latch, love. I need a protector. I've latched onto to some of the most powerful beings known in the past…all of whom are a part of my strength today. But you, sweetness…none of them compare to you. You're special. It's taking everything in me not to seduce you into being mine right now, sinking my soul into yours and clawing your heart out with my hands, stealing all of that beautiful ki you have, love…"_

Gohan shuddered at the memory.

 _"_ _But I couldn't, sweetness. There's something about you – your aura, your darkness – that just whispers for me to keep you, and not in the latching sense. I want you to want to be with me, to protect me from all those witches and councilmen who want me burned at the stake. You're going to be my little savior, my sweet little dark angel. And in return…you have my undying loyalty."_

He didn't recall giving her an answer to her request – mostly because she hadn't made it sound like an option. It was as if once she decided something, it was set. Done. No if, ands, or buts. Just her controlling the universe with her emerald eyes, like always.

And the most frightening thing was, Gohan didn't even feel the need to object.

He wiggled himself out from under Blair, who remained fast asleep. He threw his long legs over the bed and stood up, stretching his tired young body under the light streaming through the window. He quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him, and continued down the stairs until he reached the hallway bathroom.

Gohan always went here whenever he needed to look at himself. He used to keep a full length mirror in his old room, before he moved into the attic, but he had smashed it in a fit of rage after the events at the Cell games. All his reflection did was show him the face of the selfish, cocky kid who murdered Goku. Since then, he made a point to only use mirrors on rare occasions, such as quick glances to check his hair or to scan the scars on his body to ensure none were visible.

Once inside the bathroom, he snapped on the light and stood in front of the wide mirror hanging over the sink. Taking a deep breath, he looked up and stared his reflection face to face, taking time to really observe his appearance for the first time in three years.

He noticed his jawline was far more defined than before, tight and chiseled yet with a slight roundness that retained his youthfulness. His lips were pink, more of a light red, against his pale skin, which contrasted greatly with his dark mop of silky black hair that hung over his face. His body was lanky and skinny, yet his muscles were still distinctly defined and toned.

What Gohan mostly took note of were his eyes; a splash of blue technicolor against all the black and white, deep and lurking with a dark sea of depression. It frightened him to know his inner demons had swum their way to his surface, making themselves known to anyone who dared to look.

Gohan let his appearance sink in a bit more, turning his body and face to different angles every few moments.

 _"_ _You're going to be my little savior, my sweet little dark angel."_

The wind chimes rang through his head. He watched as a small, somewhat frightening smile slowly formed in his reflection. _Dark angel…that doesn't sound half bad…_

Gohan suddenly felt the sick urge rise within him, and he groaned as he realized he had forgotten his blade upstairs. He scanned the small bathroom for something to use, his eyes landing on the shaving razor sitting on the sink.

Grabbing the item, Gohan tilted it under the light, observing the sharpness of the rows of thin blades. Settling on a decision, he removed his shirt and lifted his arm up over his head. He brought the razor to his back, scraping hard and raw against his flesh. His skin ripped in shreds to the pattern of the blades, and his face scrunched up to the pain he was causing himself.

He continued until he felt satisfied, before switching the razor to the other arm and running it down the other side of his back in the same fashion. When he finished, Gohan let the bloody razor fall to the ground, breathing heavily from the trauma he had just caused his young body. He turned around and looked over his shoulder at his reflection.

The four-rowed cuts formed the messy shape of feathery wings on his shoulder blades, bleeding multiple trails down his back and onto the white tile floor.

The teen grimaced at his work.

 _Yeah…I could make a good dark angel._

* * *

After cleaning up the mess he had made and pulling on his shirt, Gohan began to walk back up the stairs to see if Blair was awake yet. However, he paused once he heard the faint sound of crying coming from Goten's room. He glanced over at the doorway, slightly ajar, and slowly crept over to peer inside.

Goten was curled up on his bed, rubbing his eyes with balled up fists and crying so hard his face was sloppy with tears and snot. He didn't even notice Gohan as his brother walked into the room and sat next to him on his bed.

Gohan watched as the little three-year-old sobbed uncontrollably, his chest aching at the sight. He gently reached out and placed a hesitant hand on the little boy's trembling shoulder.

Goten's head shot up at as soon as he felt Gohan's hand touch him, his eyes wide and his lips forming a surprised 'o' shape. Once he saw his brother sitting across from him on his bed, his face instantly lit up with excitement and happiness, flashing a bright, toothy smile.

"GO'AN!" The little toddler jumped up and wrapped his arms around his big brother in a tight hug, causing Gohan to gasp and stiffen awkwardly at the contact.

"Hey, kid…" he made a feeble attempt to return the hug with some enthusiasm. He gently pried the boy off and faced him, using his long black sleeves to wipe the wetness from the toddlers face. "So… you wanna tell me what's wrong?" Gohan knew it had to be weird for Goten for him to randomly show affection like this. But over the past week, considering all that happened with Blair, Bulma, Vegeta, Baba, Piccolo…he figured he should at least be able to open himself up enough to comfort his kid brother.

Goten didn't even seem to take his elder brother's usual distance into consideration as he clung himself back to Gohan's shirt and scrunched his face up into a childlike pout. "I had bad dream 'bout mommy and daddy!"

Gohan stiffened at the boy's words. _Daddy? He never even met dad! Sure, he's seen pictures and heard stories, but still…_

"What happened in your dream?" Gohan asked as he continued to wipe the toddlers face clean with his sleeve.

Goten pulled away and more tears slid down his round cheeks. "Mommy was crying about how she had me and you and asking daddy to stay wiff us and daddy kept smiling and told her he had to leave forever and ever and mommy was crying and you were yelling at her and everyone was sad and daddy just kept smiling and walked away while you and mommy were crying and yelling and–"

"Shhh, Goten, calm down," Gohan gave his little brother a slight shake to stop him. _Goddamn, kid didn't even take a breath. Christ…_

"Sorry, Go'an," the toddler wiped at his eyes and looked up at his brother, his mahogany orbs filled with awe. "Go'an, what was daddy like?"

 _What… was dad like?_

Gohan instantly felt himself grow stiff and his chest squeeze with a long lost pain he had learned to keep hidden in the depths of his mind. "Dad was…uh…he was…" He scratched the back of his head and looked away from his little brother's eager eyes.

He glanced all around the room, taking in the baby blue walls, soft navy carpet, and smiling photos of family and friends hung all around in a disorganized fashion. _My room used to look like this…_ The teen recalled his old life, his old self. A shy child, yet vibrant and cheerful, who loved modest colors and keeping the people he loved close to him. The boy he was before the Cell games.

 _What… was Goku like?_

His mind flashed with memories, only this time he didn't see so much of himself; instead, he saw his dad. His dad volunteering his eleven-year-old to fight Cell. His dad making sure Cell got a senzu bean, yet ignoring his child as he was crushed in Cell's bear hug. His dad who always promoted goodness and forgiveness…who had released Raditz's tail in the fight with the man who had kidnapped his four-year-old…who let that bastard Frieza live after all the murders he had committed…

 _Goku_ having the nerve to preach about his own good heart and then tell his eleven-year-old boy to hurry up and kill Cell. _Goku_ always hogging the title of good-doer while letting his own child do the dirty work. _Goku_ humiliating his son when he couldn't finish the job and then refused to come back to life with a bullshit excuse, one that made him look like even more of a saint. _Goku_ leaving his wife, his son, and his unborn child to deal with their losses while he received the best training in Other World.

Gohan could tell Goten was getting impatient, but he couldn't stop the memories and flashbacks to stop flowing through his mind in this new perspective in which he didn't hate himself – he hated Goku.

 _No, you still killed him. It's still your fault._

 _But he killed our family…he didn't do his job as a father…_

 _You still killed him, dammit! You stole Goten's father away before he got a chance to meet him! You killed Chichi's husband!_

 _He was a shitty husband and father, anyway! All you did was save them from his manipulation and foolish choices!_

Gohan's could feel himself begin to hyperventilate and tremble with anger and guilt as his mind argued against itself. He clawed at the blue sheets in an attempt to calm himself, not wanting to frighten his little brother.

"Go'an…?" Goten reached out a tiny hand and tugged on his brother's sleeve. "Why won't you tell me what daddy was like, Go'an?"

Gohan snapped his head around to Goten and felt his face twist into an involuntary scowl. His anger consumed him and he could feel all the years of rage and hurt that only cuts could contain boil beneath his surface, ready to burst. _If the kid wants to know, I'll let him fucking know!_ "Goten, Goku was nothing but–"

"Good," a calm female voice sounded from the doorway. Gohan turned sharply and saw his mother standing there, her dark eyes cold towards him. She looked away towards Goten and her eyes instantly became warm and loving, a motherly smile spreading across her face at the toddler. "Your daddy was nothing but good, sweetheart. He saved the world over and over again, never asking for anything in return. He was a true hero." She walked over to the bed, continuing to ignore her teenage son and lifted Goten up into her arms. "And you're the spitting image of him, my handsome young man!"

Gohan felt himself grow cold at the sight. His mother holding a smiling, happy Goten in her arms, feeding him heroic stories of Goku and all his good deeds.

 _Just like she did when I was younger and blind to the truth._

He looked down at the ground so hurt wouldn't consume him, and was about to walk out before Chichi addressed him.

"Gohan?"

He stiffened at the sound of his name on her lips. "Yes?"

"When I was on the phone with Bulma the other night… I forgot to mention, she said you had brought a black cat with you to Capsule Corp? Why haven't I heard of this till now?"

 _Oh shit._

Gohan fumbled for an explanation. "Oh yeah, um…I just found her the other night, y'know, out in the town…she was gonna get hit so I decided to save her…I've just been keeping her in my room since…" He tried looking her in the eyes as he spoke, but knew they were darting around nervously the whole time he talked.

"I see," Chichi's lips pressed together in a thin line, trying to make conversation with her teenage son. "Well, could I see her?"

"…. What?"

"Could I go up to your room and see your new cat?" She asked again. "It's been awhile since I've been up there, Gohan. I'd like to see it, and your new cat, too. Would you take me up there to see her, please?" Gohan could see a glint of pleading in her eyes, as if she desperately wanted a small moment of communicating with her eldest son in a way that felt almost normal.

He tried to remember how he had left his room. _Blair…sleeping on my bed…. Blair as a human…naked except in my jacket from last night…oh fucking shit…_

"Maybe later?" He croaked out, hoping she wouldn't catch on to how nervous he was.

Chichi's eyes flashed with annoyance for a split second before she forced out a light laugh. "Oh, come on, Gohan, just take me and Goten up to your room and show us your little cat. You wanna see the kitty, right Goten?" She cooed at the three-year-old.

"YAY, KITTY! I WANNA SEE KITTY, GO'AN!" The toddler cheered, looking to his brother with excitement in his dark eyes.

 _Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit_

The teen forced an exaggerated grin on his face. "Well, okay then, guess we're seeing the kitty, Goten," he tried chirping out happily, but it just came out strained. Chichi forced another tight smile at him, trying to keep things pleasant when both her and Gohan knew they were anything but.

The three made their way up the stairs to the attic, Gohan in front and Chichi behind him with Goten in her arms. When they finally reached the top, Gohan hesitated before opening the door. Shaking slightly, he grasped the cold knob in his hand and slowly twisted it, creaking the door open inch by inch. _Please please please please please…_

The door was finally fully open, and the trio peered in straight at Gohan's bed…

…where there lied a solid black cat with green eyes narrowed into amused slits, purring loudly as she saw the relief wash over Gohan so heavily he almost fell to his knees at the sight of her.

* * *

"She's very cute," Chichi spoke to Gohan as she cooked breakfast on the stove top. Goten sat next to her on the kitchen floor, petting Blair the cat as she snuggled in his lap, purring wildly at all the attention she was getting. "What did you say her name was, again?"

Gohan downed a glass of water and looked down at Blair, who cocked her head at him. "Um…Miss Atomic Bomb," he replied, to which Blair's eyes lit up at the sound of him using her nickname over her infamous one. " _Mab_ for short."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Chichi's lips. "That's nice. Odd, but creative. Although next time you bring an animal home, you should really let me know first." She caught herself at the last sentence; if the cat cheered Gohan up to where he was visiting their friends again and talking to his little brother, it didn't seem necessary to cause a fuss over something trivial.

"I will, mom. Sorry." Gohan slung his messenger bag over his shoulder and placed his empty cup in the sink. "I'm gonna go to the city. Do you, uhh…need me to pick anything up?" He glanced awkwardly down at the floor. It wasn't uncommon for him to offer help around the house; he kept to himself, but he wasn't so cruel that he would leave everything for his mom to do while he sat able-bodied up in his room. It just felt slightly strange offering help after they had been talking all morning already.

Chichi seemed to feel the awkward aura about them as well. "No, I don't…" she bit her lip, wondering if she should risk asking or not. "But…could you bring Goten with you? I need to run some errands and clean the house, so watching him will be tough to do…" She peered at Gohan from her peripheral vision, hoping he would agree. She didn't really _need_ him to take Goten, but she desperately wanted him to spend more time with the toddler after already having such a nice morning between the three of them.

Gohan glanced down at Goten, still playing with Blair the cat on the kitchen floor and looking up at his older brother with wide, eager eyes. He cringed internally at the thought of going to the city with the toddler; he loved his little brother, really, but he knew he wouldn't be able to go about his usual solitary activities if he had a three-year-old stuck to his arm. He shifted his gaze towards Blair, as if asking her what they should do.

 ** _He's very sweet dear, and painfully cute. The darling adores me, and he adores you too, sweetness…just for the day?_**

Gohan gave her a small smile, and turned to his mom. "Sure, mom. I'll take him." He knew he would regret it once they were out in the town, but he couldn't say no to Blair.

* * *

Goten didn't know how to fly yet, and Gohan felt it might be scary for him to be carried as he flew to the city, so he decided the best option was to ride the Nimbus cloud. Goten squealed in delight all the way, and Gohan couldn't help but crack a smile. Even Blair seemed to enjoy herself, snuggled up against the softness of the cloud.

Gohan put Blair in his messenger bag and picked up Goten, holding him tight as he jumped down to the ground about a mile or so away from the city. Blair hopped out and Gohan set his little brother down, opting to hold his hand and walk the rest of the way to town while Blair trotted closely behind. _Can't exactly let people see a flying cloud…_

When they arrived, Gohan nervously began to walk the streets, trying to appear as casual as he could. He always stood out like a sore thumb, but today his gothy attire clashed even more so with a happy, smiling toddler wearing bright orange strolling along next to him. Already he could see the usual dirty glares from people turn to concern, like he was some kind of 'bad influence' on the happy child and needed to be taken away from him.

 ** _Don't worry about them, sweetness. They just don't appreciate the darkness the way we do. Remember, you're my dark angel, love._**

Gohan listened as the wind chimes rang in his mind, and gave Blair a half smile in gratitude, who purred in response. He thought of the ripped flesh of wings on his shoulder blades and held his head a bit higher as they walked through the crowd. _Dark angel… you're Blair's dark angel…_

"Go'an, can we go in the mall?" Goten's peppy voice penetrated Gohan's thoughts. He felt himself nearly throw up at the thought of going into one of the most social centers of the city, but after one look at Goten's puppy dog eyes and Blair's emeralds narrowed into persuading slits, he knew he couldn't deny them.

"I guess so…" he mumbled, turning the corner to go towards the direction of the mall. _I mean, now that I think about it, Blair could use some clothes for when she's in her human form…_

As they arrived at the mall entrance, Blair the cat hopped back into his bag to hide herself, and Gohan closed the flap, leaving just enough open space for air. He let Goten drag him all around to different toy stores for about an hour, while he awkwardly stood at the entrance each time trying to ignore the dirty looks shot his way.

After a while longer, Gohan brought Goten to the play center of the mall. It was where all the adults who had shopping to do could leave their children with the caretakers there, who watched them while they all played until their parents picked them up.

"Hey, kid, just stay here for a little bit and play with the other kids. The lady here will watch over you. I've got some stuff to do, okay?" Gohan explained to the toddler, who seemed happy to oblige and ran off into the play center. Gohan tried sending a smile towards the lady in charge, but he knew it only came out as a grimace, because the woman only scowled back. The teen groaned in annoyance and walked away.

 ** _Where are we going, sweetness?_**

"You need some clothes," he whispered down to his bag. "You can't keep borrowing mine all the time, you know."

 ** _That's very sweet love, but you're only fourteen. How can you afford clothes for me?_**

"I have plenty of money," Gohan smiled down at her as he saw green eyes peek out from the small air space. He shrugged. "I do art commissions online. People message me what they want, transfer money to my account, I draw it for them and send it via email. It's pretty rewarding, actually."

Blair darted her tongue out to lick Gohan's hand. **_That's wonderful, sweetness. Just don't spend too much on me, okay love?_**

Gohan laughed lightly before catching himself, already receiving a few stares for laughing to himself in public. "It's cool, Mab, I've got enough. I brought an extra shirt and a pair of my mom's jeans so you can turn human somewhere and go shopping for yourself."

An instant after he said those words, the little black cat darted straight out of his bag and disappeared into the closest women's restroom before anyone spotted her. **_Why didn't you say so, love? Throw them over here!_**

Gohan couldn't keep back his laughter this time. A smile spread across his face as he stepped over and plopped his bag down next to the lady's restroom, leaning against the wall while waiting for Blair to come out. He knew people were going to stare and wonder why the hell he kept giggling to himself, or why he threw his bag into a women's restroom, but for once in his life the opinions of other people took a backseat to the fun he was having.

What Gohan didn't know was that the people didn't stare because of his odd actions; they stared because it was the first time they had seen the local gothy kid smile so big.

* * *

Later that night, Gohan and Blair in her human form lied together on the teen's bed, the latter snuggled up against his chest as they watched old horror flicks on a small television he had bought back in the city.

Blair giggled every time something gruesome happened, or every time a character was killed off; Gohan knew he should find this disturbing, but instead found it oddly charming. Ever since he had traded in his childhood vibrancy for dark clothes, messy hair, tired eyes, and creepy interests, all he had received were insults or at best, backhanded compliments regarding his new outlook. It was relieving to be around someone similar to him – someone who knew what it was like to be judged and hated no matter where they went.

As the credits played, the witch sat up and looked down at the teen. "Sweetness, you know I love it, but why did you buy this TV anyway?" Her green eyes twinkled with confusion. "You read so much, I can't imagine you watching enough TV to buy one, love."

Gohan shrugged. "I like some movies, like this one. If anything it's good for background noise…" he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "But…I also knew you would get bored here by yourself, so I wanted you to have something to keep you entertained whenever I'm away at Capsule Corp or something." He smiled sheepishly at the witch.

Blair's eyes filled with awe, and she smiled brightly and jumped up off the bed.

"You're so wonderful, sweetness…" she sang out softly in her honey-sweet voice, spinning around playfully. She was wearing one of her new black dresses Gohan had bought for her. The black sheer fabric reached her mid-thigh, and twirled around her like shadows dancing all around her lean body.

Gohan admired her beauty from his bed. In the short time since they had met, he felt like he had experienced a lifetime worth of emotions. Her company didn't make him flinch or feel uncomfortable like he felt with everyone else. Having her in his life just felt right, like everything had fallen into place at once ever since he first locked eyes with her in the rain.

"We should get some sleep, Mab," he turned to switch off his bedside lamp and pull the black blankets up over him. "When I was putting Goten to sleep, mom came in and told me Bulma was having some random get-together tomorrow and inviting everyone." He groaned at the thought. "I bet you anything she's known about it for a while and only just now told me so I wouldn't have time to find an excuse to not go."

Blair fell onto the bed mid-twirl and smiled over at the teen. "I think it sounds fun, love," her honeysweet voice could make anything sound positive; even the thought of socialization. "If your other friends are as nice as your little brother, I know I'm definitely going to have fun!"

Gohan smiled as he began to notice for the first time how much more open Blair had become since they first met. She had lost some of her poise, but gained a childlike vibrancy that he adored.

Her own smile faltered, shifting into a frown. "Of course, I'll have to be a cat the entire time…but so long as that old hag isn't there, I'll be happy to join you, sweetness." She tried to hide the malevolence she felt towards Baba as she spoke.

Gohan paid no mind to her comment about the old witch and lifted the covers for Blair to crawl underneath them. The two snuggled closely to fight off the chilly attic air. He still felt weird at the thought of cuddling an older woman every night, but the awkwardness was slowly beginning to fade. _Things are only awkward if you make them awkward_ , he mentally recited to himself, and the two drifted into sleep easily. Blair's charms worked their way to his tired eyes and eased him into the sweet, dark dreams she had designed just for him.

* * *

Capsule Corp was insane the following day.

Gohan had already had a disastrous argument with Chichi that morning. Apparently she had volunteered him to go, yet she wasn't even going to the get-together herself. She claimed she had 'errands.'

He scowled as he remembered her nonchalant way of breaking the news to him, as if she didn't know he was going to despise going by himself to a social event full of all their old friends. _Goddamn it, I don't care that she didn't go; I just don't get why she had to fucking volunteer me for something she was just going to miss herself!_

Krillin and 18 had tried talking to him a few times. Krillin's fake, strained smile did a pathetic job of hiding his obvious concern for Gohan's new appearance. He had seen the teenager in his new attire and attitude before, but Gohan guessed he must have gotten more into it since the last time they spoke, because he could tell Krillin was practically crying at the sight of him. _Guess I don't match his vision of what the son of the man he worshipped should look like_ , the teen thought bitterly to himself.

18, on the other hand, had simply eyed him up and down, seemingly in deep thought. He noticed her blue eyes kept glancing back to the long sleeves he wore despite the summer heat. This final note made him avoid her at all costs. The two had a respectful yet distant relationship ever since she had found out he saved her from Cell, and he didn't plan on ruining that by letting her notice his cuts.

The others – Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, and the rest – reacted similarly to Krillin, yet seemed to give him more space than the monk managed to. Gohan thanked the gods that Piccolo hadn't shown up. He knew he couldn't avoid the Namekian forever, but he was glad he didn't have to confront him so soon after their…incident.

Luckily, Gohan had Blair the cat to focus on, like a clutch to save him from his social anxiety. Everyone had seemed to take a liking to the friendly black cat, and Gohan mentally sighed in relief at the fact that no one seemed to notice her lack of _ki_. He sat with his back to the wall and knees pulled to his chest, stroking through Blair's silky fur while everyone else chattered away.

Suddenly, a gruff, cocky voice sounded from behind him.

"Hello, Edward Scissorhands."

Gohan turned around and mentally slapped himself for it. _Dammit Gohan, why the fuck did you just respond to that? Do you_ _ **want**_ _people mocking you?_

Vegeta stood there proudly, arms crossed and his signature smirk on his face. "Brat, I suggest you follow me out of here and away from all these imbeciles," he broke out into a cruel grin as he glanced down at Blair, who's fur bristled under his stare. "I have something you would _love_ to see."

Gohan felt a sick feeling in his stomach at the prince's words. _What could he possibly mean?_ He turned down to Blair, who gazed back up at him with a fearful glint in her eyes.

 _Sweetness, I don't like the sound of this…_

Gohan frowned. He didn't like it either, but he couldn't exactly say no to Vegeta without causing a scene, which was the last thing he wanted to do. He gave a quick comforting scratch underneath her chin and cradled her in his arms. Standing up, he quietly snuck away from the festivities and around the corner with Vegeta.

"This better be good," he mumbled, feeling too bitter to care if the Saiyan got pissed about it.

Surprisingly, Vegeta only retaliated with an amused glint in his black eyes. "We'll see, brat. Now, just around the next corner and into this room…" He jerked his head in the direction.

Gohan grew more and more nervous the further they walked. _Why are we going so far away from everyone?_ He could feel Blair begin to tremble slightly in his arms, which concerned him even more. _I've never seen her scared like this…_

Vegeta stopped in front of a darkened doorway, motioning for Gohan to go inside. "After you."

Gohan nodded hesitantly and stepped inside, Vegeta moving to block the doorway behind him. He glanced around at the empty room for a second, assuming they must be in a spare workroom, before noticing a tiny woman floating on her little crystal ball in the center of the room.

 _Oh shit shit shit_

Fucking Baba.

* * *

Gohan stood frozen, clutching Blair in his arms protectively.

The old witch's eyes flared with annoyance when she saw the teen walk in, and darted her head over to Vegeta. "What is this, you imbecile?" She demanded. "I already talked to the devil child once, and he stormed off rudely! Don't tell me this is why you called me all the way out here and had me sit in this room waiting on you?!"

 _Oh god no please don't let her find out please–_

"This is the _ki_ -less cat I spoke to you of," Vegeta's voice interrupted Gohan's frantic thoughts. "And possibly the reason the brat here was asking about that Blair bitch the other day, don't you think?" He smirked down at Gohan, who was shaking with anger towards the prince.

Baba floated closer to the teen on her crystal ball. She eyed the cat, her dark eyes narrowing suspiciously as she tried sensing the creature's _ki_. Blair bristled up, her claws digging out into Gohan's flesh and hissed viciously at the old woman, spatting in her face.

Baba eyes widened and she zoomed backwards. "N…no _ki_ …it can't be…" The old witch stood up on her ball in shock and slipped off, falling onto the floor. "B…Blair the Witch?! Could it be?!"

Gohan remained frozen where he stood, his body trembling as he tried to restrain the squirming, furious cat in his arms. He could tell she was thirsty for blood at the sight of the older witch, and gasped as she jumped out of his arms and darted towards Baba, positioning herself in an offensive stance. He blinked his eyes a few times before realizing what was going on and turned to glare at Vegeta.

"You FUCKING ASSHOLE!" He screamed at the older man, who remained calm as he watched the demi-Saiyan in silent amusement. "What in the actual fuck have you done? None of this was your goddamn business, you fucking piece of shit!" He could feel his rage beginning to take over, his _ki_ rising fast and his eyes going bloodshot.

Vegeta continued to smile cruelly at the teen. "If it wasn't my business, then you shouldn't have come to me with questions, brat." He turned his attention to the two witches, the cat and the old woman in the middle of a stare-down.

The Saiyans and elder witch watched as wisps of purple smoke swirled around the creature, taking the form of Blair the Witch as her human state, still wearing the black sheer dress Gohan had bought for her the previous day. _That all seems so long ago now…nothing is going to be the same from this point on…_

Baba stumbled to her feet and quickly waved her hands over her crystal ball, which began to shine a bright red and sending flashing lights all over the room.

 **"** **ALERT! ALERT!"** Baba called out, her croaking voice echoing against the walls **. "BLAIR THE WITCH HAS BEEN SPOTTED! I REPEAT: BLAIR THE WITCH HAS BEE–"**

Her siren to the witch community was silenced instantly as her crystal ball suddenly went flying across the room, smashing into pieces against the wall. Gohan and Vegeta watched in astonishment as a powerful burst of air began swirling around Blair, her green eyes cold and overflowing with pure hatred towards the now defenseless old woman.

 _Did she just use telekinesis?!_

Blair began taking slow, heavy steps towards Baba, who cowered against the wall like a small child. Gohan could feel tears begin to sting in his eyes, but blinked them back and rushed towards Blair.

"Mab, come on, let's just go home–" He reached for her arm but was pushed back by her energy alone, throwing him against the room so that he knocked into Vegeta. The prince smacked into the wall behind them and the two Saiyans fell into a heap on the floor.

"FUCK!" Vegeta pushed Gohan off of him and struggled to stand back up. "Why the hell is that bitch so damn strong?" He growled as he glared over at the violet-haired witch, who had turned her head away from Baba to look back at Gohan.

"No, sweetness," she replied softly, her voice dry of honey and silent of wind chimes. Only a cold emptiness rose from her slender throat. "I need to finish this." She turned her attention back to the cowering old woman before her.

Gohan could feel his chest tightening as he watched the person he had grown to care for lose herself in front of him. _Or is this just who she always was and is…?_

He wouldn't let himself believe it. He forced himself up, his body still shaking and aching from the force of Blair's power reacting with his muscles and bones. _Goddamn, it's like she struck every one of my nerves with lightning, and she wasn't even_ _ **trying**_ _! Vegeta can barely stand, either, and we're fucking SAIYANS, for crying out loud!_

 _Just how strong is she…?_

Gohan watched in horror as Blair raised a perfect hand in the direction where Baba stood sniveling like a child. He could tell she was focusing everything she had in her…

"Mab…Mab please stop…let's just go home…" Gohan pleaded, hoping she would snap back to the happy girl he knew last night. The girl twirling in her new black dress, her perfect hand clasped in his as they slept…

Vegeta glowered over at the teen. "Pathetic…" the prince mumbled. "The bitch is obviously a murderous psycho and here you are giving her pet names and asking to take her home with you?" Despite the circumstances, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Guess puberty really took over your senses, Gohan."

Gohan glared right back at him, trying to keep his focus on Blair at the same time. "If she's such a murderous psycho, why the fuck did you encourage her to reveal herself to _Baba_ of all people? You're a fucking hypocrite if you think this isn't all your fault!" He spat as much venom as he could towards the prince in his weakened state.

Vegeta managed a weak grimace. "Maybe so, brat, but she's a murderous psycho who can grant immortality, which makes her valuable in my book." He turned his attention back towards the witches.

Gohan ignored his obvious intentions and refocused his attention as well, and saw Blair's hand become surrounded with purple and black mist. She twisted her hand into a clawlike form, raised her arm up over her head…

"Die."

…and slashed down in mid-air, simultaneously resulting in blood splattering over old Baba's tiny body as her flesh ripped across her chest and she cried out in agony.

"What the hell is going on in here?" All of a sudden, the group of Z Fighters and Bulma appeared in the doorway, apparently drawn there by all the noise. They all gasped at the sight of Baba's bloodied corpse, as well as the wounded states of Gohan and Vegeta against the wall near them.

"…Gohan? Vegeta?" Krillin, who had initially spoken, called out to the two Saiyans cautiously. He turned to the woman standing in the center, wisps of mist around her and blood splattered over her cream-colored skin.

"Guys…who is that? What's going on?" Yamcha couldn't hide the fear in his voice as he took in the sight of the wrecked room.

Gohan ignored all of them, keeping his focus on Blair as she stood over Baba's lifeless little body, a wicked smile spread across her pretty face.

"So long…. I've needed this for so long…" She whispered to herself, as though a heavy weight were leaving her body. She turned around to look at Gohan and instead saw all the others from the party standing there with fear and horror in their eyes.

"… What?" Her voice had regained a small amount of honey as she took in the horrified sight of everyone around her. She turned to Gohan. "Sweetness, what is all this? Is something wrong?"

Gohan shuddered at her eyes; innocent, glittering emeralds that never failed to make his heart pound and his blood run hot. _Blair…Blair, why…_

"Gohan, do you know this woman?" Bulma cried out, tears slipping down her cheeks. Her hands shook as she looked all around the bloodstained room.

Vegeta smirked over at the others. "Oh yeah, the brat knows this woman _awfully_ well, don't you Gohan?" His black eyes stared down at the teen in amusement as he insinuated intimacy between the teenager and the witch.

"Is that true, Gohan?" Krillin called out, concern and disbelief filling his eyes.

"I…I, uh…" Gohan couldn't get the words out. All he could focus on was Blair; the blood on her long legs, the way the black dress fit over her perfect form, the innocence clouding her green eyes of any ill will…

The witch began to pout at Gohan's silence towards his chance to defend her. "Sweetness?" She whimpered out softly. "I didn't do anything wrong, love. She hurt me first, she hurt me for years…I didn't do anything wrong." She sounded so sincere, so convinced of her own judgment towards what she had done.

"Well, looks like need to destroy this bitch before she kills again!" Yamcha cried out, positioning himself in a fighting stance. Tien, Chiaotzu, and Krillin all followed suit, preparing for a standoff with the stranger who had killed their friend.

Gohan could feel his emotions all squeeze together in his chest and head all at once. The rage, the hurt, the horror…but mostly, all he could feel overshadowing everything else, was his concern for Blair.

 _Why is she all there is…why is it like this all the damn time…_

He stood, shaking, and slowly walked over to Blair, causing all the others behind him to gasp.

"Gohan, stay away from her…we don't know who or what she is!" Krillin announced his concern, desperately trying to keep his best friend's son safe from harm.

But Gohan couldn't hear anything from them. All he heard was his own pounding heart as he stepped towards Blair, the sound of her honey and wind chimes filling his brain every time she spoke from her cat form, the happiness in her laugh as she spun under the stars…

"Mab…" He forced his eyes to keep from looking at Baba's corpse, slaughtered like a pig. He glanced down her hand, clean of any blood despite the murder she had just committed. Her perfect polished hand that he held in his own every night.

"Sweetness?" Her green eyes were free of any guilt, only twinkling with the question of who her little dark angel would choose: her, or his father's friends?

Gohan thought back to the Cell games. Back to how all those men standing behind him allowed Goku to send a child out on the battleground. How none of them had the guts to stand up to the bastard and tell him what he was doing was wrong. They worshiped the ground Goku walked on so much, were so desperate to kiss his ass, that they were willing to watch an eleven-year-old die before they dare speak out against him.

He remembered how Piccolo had stood up for him, had screamed in Goku's face when he volunteered his own son to fight Cell.

He remembered how Bulma was always there to comfort him, even if it just meant giving him his space.

He remembered how Goten would jump up in excitement over his mere presence, always clinging to him every chance he got.

He remembered how Blair had held his bleeding body and pressed her comforting lips against his ear, spilling honey into his mind to soak over all the dark thoughts.

 _These are the people who care about me…not them…it's never been them…_

He turned around to glance back at all the Z Fighters. He felt nothing for the rest, but did notice guilt twisting in his stomach at the sight of the tears on Bulma's face.

"…Gohan?" Krillin called out, more like a question than anything else. The teen scowled at the monk, causing all of the men to cower back in confusion.

Gohan could feel the bloody wings he had cut into his back burn with a passion and purpose. He glanced back down at Blair's hand. He knew of the murders she had committed. How her hand had pierced a little girl's heart out centuries ago. How her hand had slashed Baba's tiny body right before his eyes.

And yet, he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and taking her hand, forgiving everything she had ever done in a single movement, as he held her tight, flew up, and crashed through the ceiling of the Capsule Corp building, leaving everyone behind them to wonder what had happened to the little boy they thought they had known.

* * *

 **"** ** _Kill All Your Friends_** **" — My Chemical Romance**


	9. Lying Lies & Dirty Secrets

Vegeta glared up at the sky through the destroyed ceiling Gohan had created when he crashed through with Blair.

"Goddamn brat, obsessing over that witch bitch and destroying my home… someone needs to teach him a lesson," the prince grumbled to himself as he dusted the debris from the crash off his spandex suit.

"Vegeta…" Krillin's cautious voice sounded from behind him. "Do you know anything about this? About what's up with Gohan and that… _woman_?"

The Saiyan quickly debated his options in his head. _Hmm… I could tell them the truth and get that brat in the worst trouble of his life, which would be entertaining as hell…or I could keep their little secret, and blackmail him and his woman?_ He smirked to himself, deciding on the latter. He turned his gaze to the slaughtered old body on the ground across the room. _It's not like the old hag can ever tell them the truth now…hehe._

"Hnf. I don't know anything other than the brat knowing who she was," Vegeta grunted without even turning to look at the monk. "I'm sure the kid knew she was dangerous and just wanted to protect all you pathetic earthlings." He lied easily, knowing that keeping them off Gohan's back would give him a clear opening to enact his plan.

Krillin's face creased with concern as he turned to his wife. "18…" he asked softly. "Did you see the look in his eyes?" He thought back, referring to the twisted scowl the teenager had thrown at them before flying off.

The blonde android nodded, her inner feelings not evident on her features. While she worried for the boy who had saved her life, she couldn't help but feel a pang of anger for the warrior in her. Though she would never admit it, something about the woman who murdered Baba had frightened the living hell out of her. Looking down at her hands, she could see they were still shaking, and quickly folded them together before Krillin could take notice.

 _Why was I so scared of some other woman…I'm the strongest female in the universe; why does some random bitch make me feel so damn inferior?_

While Krillin remained oblivious to his wife's internal plight, the others relaxed slightly at Vegeta's lie.

"Yeah…yeah, I guess that makes sense," Yamcha sighed. "Gohan's too good to help someone like that, I'm sure he's just getting her away from here before he beats her up himself!" He gave a foolish smile while Vegeta tried hard not to laugh out loud at the man's gullibility.

However, Yamcha's smile faded as the group turned their gaze to the bloodied old body of Baba across the room. Chiaotzu whimpered slightly as Tien quickly shielded his friend's eyes from the grisly scene.

The room remained silent for a few moments, until Krillin finally spoke up. "…How are we gonna tell Master Roshi…" he choked out, knowing how hurt their friend would be at the news of his sister's death.

Yamcha placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We should all go," he replied quietly. "Maybe…if she hasn't died before, we could try bringing her back for him. The guy's done so much for us."

"Yeah…" Krillin agreed sadly. He looked over at Bulma, who had been silent ever since Gohan took off. "Bulma…is there anything we could…put her in?" His voice cracked at the last bit. None of them had been close to Baba, but seeing her body mutilated before them, knowing how heartbroken Roshi would be…it was all too much.

Bulma stood frozen until the monk's voice snapped her out of her trance, and she nodded slowly. "Yes…yes, just…give me a minute, please, everyone." She tried desperately to keep her voice steady, but knew it came out shaken. The Z Fighters each patted her on the shoulder, a sad look in their eyes as they stepped out to give the woman her privacy.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Bulma quietly walked over to Vegeta, one delicate hand covering her mouth.

"Vegeta…" she choked out, leaning into her husband's chest. "Vegeta…I don't…I don't know what to do…Baba…Gohan…" She began sobbing silently into her mate, who grudgingly wrapped his strong arms around her frail, shaking body.

 _Damn woman…_

"Stop crying, I'll go check on the brat," he grunted down to his wife, not wanting his emotions for the female to falter the plans he had in mind for Gohan and Blair.

Bulma wiped at her eyes and nodded, trying to calm herself. "Please, Vegeta…please find out what's wrong with him. I have a bad feeling about this and I don't know what's been up with him since…since Goku died and…" She trailed off, the mention of Goku causing her to choke up again.

"I said I'll go find him, now go find a coffin or box or something for that dead old hag and leave the kid to me," Vegeta knew his wife wouldn't object in the state she was in, and sure enough, Bulma merely flashed him a weak spark of fire in her eyes before walking out the room to prepare for Baba's body.

"Oh, and woman?"

Bulma turned around, scowling at the way her husband had addressed her. "What?"

Vegeta eyed her firmly. "Don't go calling that brat's idiot mother up about this," he insisted. "She'll only become an annoyance and get in the way if she finds out her teenage delinquent is running around with some murderous freak."

"But…but Vegeta…?!"

"I said don't do it, woman!" Vegeta barked, more harshly this time. "Otherwise I'm not helping you on this goose chase for that damn kid!"

Bulma's face crumpled, causing a sharp pain in Vegeta's chest that he fought to ignore. _I am the prince of the Saiyans; I'm not going to let a damn earthling woman stop me, not when I'm so close to what I want…_

"You do what you think is best, Vegeta," Bulma replied quietly. "I need to take care of Baba." The blue haired woman stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Vegeta glanced back up at the destroyed ceiling, preparing to take off after Gohan.

 _I'll see to it that the brat comes crawling back here_ , he smirked to himself. _He had better grovel to my woman for crashing her building…_

 _…_ _and when I find him and that witch bitch, I'll let them know just what it's going to take to keep me silent about their little affair._

* * *

Gohan flew at full speed for several miles, Blair wrapped tightly in his arms. He could tell she was startled the second he grabbed her and took off, but he ignored any cries or squirms from her until he was far, far away from Capsule Corp and the Z Fighters.

 _Fuck what did I just do oh fuck fuck fuck_

His mind raced and his head throbbed, until he finally gave in and flew down into the middle of a forest far from Capsule Corp. He dropped Blair a few feet before reaching the ground, forgetting to be gentle as she landed hard on her rump, though it didn't seem to faze her. Instead, she only stared at Gohan in confusion, her eyebrows knitted and green eyes sparkling with questions.

"Sweetness?" She called out softly to the teenager, who was pacing back and forth in front of her with his head in his hands. "Sweetness, what on earth is wrong? Everyone was so scared and so ready to attack, I thought something terrible must have happened." There was no sign of guilt or remorse present on her features; only a beautiful innocence. "What's wrong, love?"

Gohan snapped his head up and glared angrily at the witch, trying to control his hyperventilating. "What's wrong? _WHAT'S WRONG_?!" He screamed out at her, his temple throbbing uncontrollably as he clenched his fists. "You just fucking _KILLED_ somebody, that's what's _WRONG_! You murdered Baba in front of _EVERYONE_ and then acted like it was _NOTHING_!"

He could see a defensive fire forming in her eyes underneath the emerald surface, but Blair managed to maintain her calm composure. "Sweetness, I told you," she replied softly. "Baba hurt me first. She hurt me for years, and there was never anything I could do about it without being caught by the witch community." A small smile crept over her pink lips. "Until now."

Gohan forgot about controlling his rage and snatched Blair's slender arm in his hands, his grip so tight he could feel her bones squeezing together in her wrists. Her eyes snapped open to reveal a look of hurt and astonishment at what he was doing. He leaned in so close their noses were merely an inch away, their eyes blue on green with a new, darker intensity than ever before.

"You don't get it, Blair," Gohan growled quietly. "I wanted to protect you, to save you…but you fucked up. I can never bring you home again knowing you're still just a murderer." He spat out the final sentence, his eyes losing the firm edge they held over the witch. _Why, Blair, why…_

The teen could feel his heart ache in his rib cage as tears brimmed in Blair's eyes, but in a second she quickly blinked them away and twisted her full lips into smile that bordered between cruel and sympathetic. "Love, how could you save me from my darkness when you're still suffocating in your own?"

Gohan flinched at her spiteful words. He released her arm by throwing it against her chest and stood up. _I should have known…I should have fucking known she would use what she saw against me…she really is no different than anyone else in this world…fuck fuck fuck I'm so stupid fuck_

"Well, it's good to know where we stand with one another," he spoke through clenched teeth, his voice cold and apathetic.

"Sweetness, that's not what I meant," Blair's voice cracked as he began to walk away, causing him to freeze in his tracks. "We need each other. We can't do this alone; we're both suffocating and if we don't do something soon then…" Sparkling tears slipped down her cheeks. "…then I'm going to end up a dead cat on the street, smashed by a car, and you'll bleed to death alone in your room."

She spoke with such blunt finality that Gohan could felt his heart clench in his chest. He imagined little Goten opening up his door, wanting to play, and instead seeing the dead, sliced up body of the brother he idolized. _Fuck she's right she's right_

 _But still…_

"Blair," his voice was barely audible as he desperately tried to force himself to see reason. "You… _killed_ someone."

"She deserved it," the witch persisted.

"That's not the fucking point, Blair!" He snapped his head back around to her. "I can't protect you anymore! Everyone knows what you did, they saw it with their own eyes! It's only a matter of time before Vegeta finds us, and…"

His words were cut off as wisps of purple flashed before his eyes and Blair was suddenly right up against him, her arms wrapped around him tight as she nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck.

"Sweetness, please…" she cried softly, her honeysweet voice melting into his pulsing brain. "I need you to trust me. I didn't do anything to that devil that she didn't deserve. Please, love, just trust me." She lifted her head to look Gohan in the eyes, her own filled with a pleading innocence that made his heart pound and his blood burn.

Gohan gazed into her beautiful green orbs, lifting his hand against her face to brush her tears away with his thumb. He thought of all the nights they had spent together, all the afternoons in the city, the way she twirled under starlight, the way her hand felt in his every night…

…all slowly becoming overshadowed by a cold reality; the grisly image of Baba's torn corpse.

"I can't, Mab," his throat tightened as he spoke the words, but he knew he couldn't risk it. "I want to…but I can't do this. You can't come home with me. Not around mom and Goten. You _can't_."

Blair's pink lips quivered. "Sweetness, I promise nothing will happen, I promise, I love your family, I love your little brother, I promise." As she rambled on, Gohan realized her wind chime voice had been reduced to a sound he could only comprehend as a tune internal butterflies would sing as they died in someone's stomach, like dead magic or unrequited love.

Gohan's heart squeezed into a helpless mess. _I can't do this…I can't fuck up again…I already killed Goku, I can't risk another fuck up and get Goten or mom killed too…_

He shook his head, refusing to look Blair in the eyes. "No. No, Blair, I can't. I'll keep the other fighters away from you until Baba's death blows over, but I can't bring you back home. I can't." His throat constricted at the final word, making it nothing but a pitiful whisper.

Blair stood frozen as his words sunk in, and she nodded silently as she released him, falling to the ground in a defeated heap with her head in her hands.

"Does this…mean we'll never see each other again…?" Blair whimpered.

Gohan pondered her question for a moment. What she was suggesting meant no more mornings sleeping in, no more city afternoons with her company, and no more comforting nights with one another. _It doesn't have to be this way…there has to be some way around this mess…_

"I want to figure this out, Mab, I do…" Gohan explained, internally questioning every word he spoke. _She's a murderer, why am I trying to compromise?_ "But what you just did…we can't fix that. I need time to think…" He felt shame sinking into his gut. _Nice going, you can't even give her a fucking answer…_

Blair nodded again from where she sat, pulling her knees close to her chest.

"Sweetness…" she choked out. "You have my undying loyalty. I meant that when I said it. And that's not going to change. If this is truly what you want…"

 _SWOOSH_.

"Well, well, well, looks like the little couple is having a spat?"

Gohan spun around and found himself face to face with the prince of Saiyans, the signature smirk more present on his features than ever.

"Vegeta…? How–"

"It's not like you were suppressing your _ki_ , brat," Vegeta grunted to the teen before turning his attention to the witch behind him. "And after the scene _you_ caused back at Capsule Corp, I believe we have some discussing to do if you two expect me to keep covering for your asses."

Blair tensed up, slowly picking herself up into a standing position as she wiped her face free of any tears. Her eyes lost their weariness in an instant and instead spit fire at the prince. "None of this concerns you," she spoke, her voice cold as ice. "We don't have any discussing to do with anyone but each other, so leave."

Vegeta glared at the woman for a few moments, before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Ho, is that so, witch bitch?" He pointed over to Gohan, who stood frozen with a stunned look on his face at Blair's immediate change in disposition. "Well, if you wish to keep your obsession with this brat ongoing, I suggest you listen to me." He smiled cruelly over at Gohan, who glared back with suspicion lurking in his blue eyes.

Blair's features tightened into a hateful grimace. "What do you mean?"

Vegeta chuckled lightly. "I mean I could easily expose both of you, destroying any chance you have of seeing each other again. Which," he mocked the pair. "Seems _awfully_ important to both of you." The teen felt his face flush at the words.

Blair narrowed her eyes at the Saiyan. "So what are you proposing, then?"

Vegeta smiled over at the witch. "Now, that's a better attitude to have." He stepped over to the woman until they were only inches apart, his arms crossed and black eyes glowing with malicious intent. "You see, here's my proposition. I promise to keep this sweet little affair you have going on with that brat a little secret. You already fucked your chances of appearing around anyone in your human form, but nobody needs to know about your feline identity. With my lips sealed and Baba dead, nobody ever has to know who, what, and where you are, so long as you remain a disgusting cat at all times."

"And as for _you_ , Gohan…" He glared over at the teen, who's eyes grew wide at the mention of his name.

Vegeta cracked a wicked sneer, "Don't think I didn't notice your collection self-mutilations during our spar, brat," he snarled out softly. Gohan swallowed hard and balled his fists, trying to stop his body from trembling at the fear of Vegeta knowing his dark secret.

The prince turned back to Blair. "Here's the deal: you'll be staying with me," he demanded. "You will remain in your cat form until I say you can become human, which will only be when the two of us are alone." He grinned back at Gohan. "That won't be a problem, will it, Gohan?"

Gohan felt his insides twist with a mixture of anger and defensiveness he couldn't describe, all at the mention of Vegeta being alone with Blair. _Why the hell does that bother me so much_? "Why do you want her?" He questioned, looking to Blair for her reaction. Her face was unreadable, aside from her obvious anger towards Vegeta.

"That's for me to know, and the bitch to find out," he replied with venom on his tongue. "If you keep disobeying me, I'll inform _everyone_ of just who she is, including the witch community, and make sure your idiotic mother has you placed in a mental institution for this sick hobby you've picked up." He eyed Gohan up and down, as though he could envision all the cuts on the teen's body through his clothes. "So unless you want her dead and your habits brought to light, I believe you'll comply without arguing."

Gohan and Blair looked to one another, both conflicted on how to respond to Vegeta's offer. After a moment of thought, Blair gave a deep sigh and sent a small, sad smile in Gohan's direction before turning to the prince, her head held high.

"Fine."

"What?!" Gohan gasped. "Blair, we don't have any idea what he wants with you–"

"You said I can't come home with you, right?" Blair cut him off. "Well, I need a protector, which you've refused to be. And you need your privacy. This is the only way we'll both be safe."

Gohan could feel helplessness settling in, desperate to find another solution. _She can't come home with me…not after what she did…I can't risk mom and Goten over this…_

 _…_ _but GODDAMN IT, what the fuck does Vegeta want with her, and why do I feel so fucking protective of her?!_

The teen turned to Vegeta, his blue eyes cold and hard with an intensity he didn't know he had in him. He leaned right into the man's face and snarled from a fire deep within: "You _will not_ hurt her; do you understand me?"

Vegeta, impressed by the boy's newfound cruelty, smiled down at him. "I do believe _I'm_ the one calling the shots here, kid," he chuckled. "But calm your hormones. I have no intentions of harming your love doll." Gohan felt his face burn hot at the prince's words, causing the man to bust out in more mocking laughter.

"Well come along now, little wench," he cooed towards Blair, who stiffened at his tone. "Kneel down into your hideous creature form and I'll hide you away at Capsule Corp, where we can further our discussion without the brat listening in."

Gohan shot blue daggers at Vegeta before turning to Blair with a pleading look; pleading for what, he wasn't sure. _Just because I can't take her in doesn't mean this is the only solution…not with Vegeta of all people…who knows what he wants…_

Blair sighed, sending a pained glance at the teen before disappearing into purple smoke and dissipating into her black cat form.

"Much better," chuckled Vegeta, who snatched the creature up by scruffing her neck. Blair the cat fussed for a moment, before remembering the deal they had just made and quickly settled down before she upset him.

Gohan glared hatefully at the prince. "If you hurt her…" he growled. "I will not hesitate to beat you down in front of Bulma and let her see you for the little bitch you are." His own words shocked even him, but he reigned himself in when he saw the furious glint in Vegeta's eyes.

"Don't disrespect me, you little bastard," Vegeta barked back, scruffing Blair the cat tighter and causing her to yowl in pain. "Or I won't hesitate to skin this little pussy before you ever even get a chance to have at it." The vulgarity of the man's words made Gohan's stomach lurch, and he nodded silently to avoid angering the prince any further.

Vegeta turned to shoot a wicked grin at the cat. "Well then…we'll be on our merry way," he laughed. "I expect to spar with you again soon, Gohan, and don't forget…" he glared at the teen. "You owe my woman an apology after what you did to her building."

With that, the prince disappeared into the air, along with Blair the cat, before Gohan even had a chance to say goodbye.

* * *

Gohan stepped into his house, his shoulders slumped and his head cast down. It was pitch black out; he had walked all the way home, once again desiring to kill the endless chore that was time.

He glanced around the dark living room, empty of his mother or Goten. _They must be asleep…_

Fear tightening in his throat, he walked over to the phone and carefully checked all the numbers that had called in the past day. _No Bulma…so I guess mom doesn't know…_ Relief washed over him so heavily he sank to his knees on the floor, pressing his head against the wall. _Vegeta may be a bastard, but at least he keeps his word._

Forcing himself up, Gohan made his way up the stairs and into the attic. He glanced over at the empty bed, which for the first time in his life seemed awfully big for just one person.

The teen bit his lip and pulled off his shirt, choosing to sleep with his chest bare for the night. The moonlight from his window revealed every scar he had ever cut into himself. He slumped down onto his bed, his head weighing like a bowling ball and exhaustion claiming his body.

Gohan reached around and rubbed his thumb over the wings carved into his back, which began to burn with the passion he had felt when he leapt into the sky with Blair. Only now the burning was dim, like going from a forest fire to the pitiful spark of a firecracker.

 _They don't mean anything without her…_

 _Dark angel…I'm supposed to be her dark angel, and I let him take her…_

Guilt consumed him, and he rolled over into a ball on his bed. Panting as though he were racing along in the marathon his thoughts were running. He twisted his fingers through his dark, gothy hair anxiously, trying in vain to calm his nerves.

When nothing else helped, he thought of his mother and Goten. His mother sound asleep in her bed, safe from any harm. His little brother dreaming of adventures down in his sky blue room, where no darkness would ever claim him.

Gohan felt some relief at the thought of them, both safe from his own mistakes.

 _At least I didn't fail them this time._

And although he comforted himself with the images of his family, he couldn't help himself from reaching out to the spot next to him on his bed, aching at the emptiness that lied there.

* * *

"My woman is asleep and the staff is off for the night; go on and turn into your witch bitch form."

Vegeta smirked as the cat obeyed his orders, purple wisps transforming into Blair as a human. He had taken her into the Gravity Chamber, where he had locked the door to ensure their privacy.

"My name is Blair, just so you know," she called out softly, the wind chimes in her voice dead of any song.

"Whatever," the prince mumbled. "We have some more discussing to do before our deal is fully sealed, so take a seat and listen closely."

Blair nodded and sat against the wall with her knees pulled to chest. She refused to look the man in the eye as he spoke to her.

"So, Blair the Witch," Vegeta chuckled. "I have some questions for you, and for sake of saving us both time and pain, I suggest you be honest with me. During storytime with Baba, I was told that you have the power to latch onto people, granting them immense powers and immortality. Is this or is this not true?"

Blair nodded quietly, her face blank of emotion. "It is true."

"Good, good…" Vegeta smiled before continuing. "Now, I was also told that when these latchings of yours die, you absorb their powers…and that you happen to have a habit of murdering them yourself so you can steal their abilities upfront. Is this true or not?"

Blair swallowed hard. "It used to be, yes."

Vegeta cocked an amused eyebrow at her. "So you're saying you are no longer interested in murder, woman? Does that not contradict your actions at Capsule Corp earlier this evening?"

Blair bit her lip and nodded once more. "I don't want to be that way anymore, no. What I did to the old devil was simply overdue revenge. Nothing she didn't deserve." Her pretty face hardened at the mention of Baba.

Vegeta grinned wickedly. "There, now, I like a vengeful spirit! Care to tell me how it was that old Baba deserved the slaughtering you claim was her 'just desserts?'"

Blair's chin quivered as memories flashed through her mind. "She lied," she choked out, holding back sobs to avoid showing weakness before the man who had blackmailed her. "I trusted her and she lied. She told everyone that she had visions of me becoming a monster, when in truth I went to her myself and confessed my abnormal abilities to her."

Vegeta's eyes widened slightly at this confession. "So you're saying this woman didn't have premonitions of you, and only knew of your ability to latch through you telling her yourself?" The prince leaned back with his hands behind his head and a grin on his face. "Well then, perhaps the old bitch did get what she deserved."

Blair nodded silently. "I trusted her…she was my teacher, my friend. I could sense a dark power within me, and I wanted her to help me learn how to control it so I wouldn't hurt anyone. She acted like she would help me…and before I knew it, she was lying to the council about how she had seen visions of me becoming evil. And my face was on wanted posters everywhere. All in the conquest of burning me at the stake." A single tear slipped down her cheek.

Vegeta's face grew serious. "Jealousy happens to be a very common enemy among females. I have noticed that from my time here on Earth," he mumbled. "It doesn't surprise me one bit, woman."

Blair rested her had against her raised knees. "She knew I had the potential to be stronger than her, and she wanted to be the strongest witch…so she tried to have me executed." Her arms tightened around her body. "My friend, my teacher, the person I loved and trusted, wanted to watch me burn."

Vegeta glared at the witch wrapped up in herself across the room, slowly becoming more and more interested in her tale. "I believe you, woman," he grunted. "It only makes sense that you've turned into the murderous demon that you've been these past few centuries. But we need to get back to business. I have one last question for you."

Blair lifted her head and wiped her cheeks. "Yes?"

"My final question, witch bitch," he addressed her deliberately, a dead serious look in his black eyes. "Have you or have you not, truly and without question, committed your loyalty to that demi-Saiyan brat called Gohan?"

Blair nodded without missing a beat. "Yes," she replied coolly. "I have."

Vegeta grinned wickedly. "Just what I wanted to hear."

Blair cocked her head to the side. "Let's end the games," she demanded. "What do you want, Saiyan prince?"

Vegeta stood up and walked over the Blair, kneeling down until they were face to face. "What all great fighters want, witch," he smirked. "Immortality."

* * *

Months passed by.

The dark circles beneath Gohan's eyes had deepened into heavy bags that marked his pale face. Losing Blair had not only caused him grief that left him sleepless, but the loss of her sleep spell had taken its toll on him as well. He was lucky to sleep a few hours every few days.

The teen had gone back to distancing himself from his mother and brother. Once again, he would get up in the early hours of dawn, walk to the city, and let the disgusted stares of the public sink in as he climbed to the top of his usual building to read and draw. _Just like I did before._

Chichi, who had been relieved that her son was opening up more, had gone back to tight-lipped glances and backhanded comments with her eldest child. She wrote off his brief moments of light from before as a short-lasting occurrence brought on by boredom with his regular routine. Their last actual conversation had been months ago:

 _"_ _Where's your little cat, Gohan…Mab, right?" She had questioned her son when he walked in one night as she was putting Goten to bed._

 _"_ _Ran off," the teen had mumbled bluntly as he trudged upstairs without another word. Goten's eyes had welled up with tears at the realization that their kitty was gone._

That was the end of Gohan's progress in communication with his family.

Aside from his family, Gohan also ignored any calls from the Z Fighters. They had made several attempts to reach him, even coming to his house to try and talk to him about the events that had happened at Capsule Corp. They had also asked him to join them on their search for the Dragon Balls, which they wanted to use to bring Baba back to life for Roshi. Evidently, the old master was crushed after hearing his beloved sister had died, and the Z Fighters wanted nothing more than to ease his pain.

Every time they came over, Gohan simply insisted that he had gotten rid of the threat that the woman posed and that he was too busy to help them in their search, slamming the door in their face each time. Krillin was especially hurt by the boy's cold shoulder, wondering what had happened to the kid he used to go on adventures with. Even 18, though she wasn't human, knew that it was incredibly abnormal for one to change so drastically in so short a time span. Every time she saw the teen in the doorway when they visited, permanently clad in long sleeves, her thoughts would race with all the possibilities of what he could be hiding.

In truth, as guilty as Gohan felt for Baba's death, he knew bringing her back would only result in multiple dark secrets brought to light. He was ashamed for letting his fear overcloud his desire to make things right, but it did and he couldn't change it. His mother was always pressing her lips tightly behind him as she watched him turn their old friends away, apologizing for her son's behavior once he disappeared off into his attic.

Gohan went to bed without a shirt every night now, so he could run his hand along the scars of wings on his back and pretend they still had a purpose. In the past months, he had created countless more cuts along his torso and arms, and had even began to move his razor down onto his legs. His ankles and thighs were crisscrossed with deep red gashes that matched the rest of him.

He often thought of Blair's warning; how he would eventually cut too deep and bleed out, his drained body left behind for his family to discover. Every time her face flashed in his mind, he would find himself lightening his grip on the razor, keeping him from slicing too deep into the surface of his pale skin. It was as though her perfect hand was there right on top of his own, gently keeping him at just the right depth so he wouldn't make an irreversible mistake.

 _But she's not here now; you fucked up and let him take her._

Everything was practically back to how it had been right after the Cell games.

The only difference was that Gohan made weekly visits to Capsule Corp, to spar with Vegeta like he had promised. While he used to despise the thought of fighting ever since he had gotten Goku killed, he actually enjoyed the activity now. It helped him to blow off the pain and anxiety he felt growing in him each day. He could tell Vegeta noticed his additional cuts, and occasionally even suspected he saw a glint of concern in the prince's dark eyes, but if it was true than the man never mentioned it with anything other than his fists.

He had also apologized to Bulma for crashing her building, although she seemed far more concerned with what he had been doing with the mysterious woman who murdered Baba. His first appearance at Capsule Corp after the incident, she had run up and hugged him so tight he thought he would pass out. Despite her constantly telling him the crash was not an issue, Gohan still insisted on paying her back by working for her. She had started training him on the works of Capsule Corp one day out of the week ever since, often commenting on what an intelligent prodigy he was.

Gohan would see Blair there, but only ever in her cat form. She would sit in the corner of the Gravity Chamber, gazing over at Gohan with sad green emeralds. The teen's chest ached every time he caught her eye, and over time he had learned to avoid her gaze and focus on the fight with Vegeta. The two hadn't spoken ever since the deal they had made with him. The man forbade them from contact until he " _got what he wanted_ ," and Gohan still didn't know just what that was.

The two Saiyans had both grown immensely in strength. Vegeta had even ascended into Super Saiyan 2, a level Gohan had reached years ago at the Cell games. However, Gohan was still surpassing the prince in strength, much to the latter's annoyance.

Whenever Gohan left and everyone else in Capsule Corp was either asleep or had gone home for the night, Vegeta would demand Blair to become human once more.

It had been several months since Vegeta had confessed his thirst for immortality to Blair. He had asked her to latch with him, the deal being that she would get both a powerful defender and her secrets kept safe, and Vegeta would gain what he always wanted.

"Listen up, witch bitch," he said now, sounding more impatient than all the nights before. "I asked you to latch with me months ago, and you're still stalling. What the fuck is keeping you?"

"I don't want a latch," Blair muttered sadly, her green eyes cast downward. "I want a protector. It's just not the same."

"Dammit, woman!" Vegeta smacked his hand across Blair's pretty face, knocking her to the ground and leaving a bright red mark welling up on her light skin. "You may be powerful against me in my base state, even as a Super Saiyan, but you are no match for me nor the brat when we ascend to Super Saiyan 2! You want a protector, you fucking got one! Now give me what I want or I'll end you!"

Blair snapped her head up at the prince, fire spitting in her green eyes. "What makes you so fucking sure I won't kill you the second we latch?" she spat at him. "I'll rip my hands through you and tear you to shreds in your sleep, absorbing all that Saiyan power you boast about so damn much!"

Vegeta busted out into laughter, his arms crossed and he glared down at her. "Bitch, you wouldn't dare and you know it," he snarled at her. "Once we latched, I'd become so strong you wouldn't stand a fucking chance. You know as well as I that no matter what beings you've sucked on in the past, none of them were anywhere near a Saiyan's abilities. Not to mention, murdering me won't make you look too good to your teenage obsession, now would it?" He smirked when she flinched at the mention of Gohan.

Blair trembled with anger and fear. She knew how disappointed and furious Gohan had been with her when she killed Baba, despite her claiming the old woman deserved it. If she were to kill Vegeta, the teen would never forgive her. _But I can't be latched to this bastard forever, either…_

"I need to think about this," Blair whimpered, knowing the excuse wouldn't last her much longer. "It's a complicated process, and I need to think…"

"Bitch, you've thought about it for months," Vegeta snapped at her, his temple throbbing with anger. "I'm through with waiting. You can either give me what I want or I'll figure out how to let that damn witch community know where you are and reserve a front row seat to your burning." He grinned as he watched fear cloud her eyes. "And don't forget, that brat is in on this too. If you go down, he goes with you. I'll make sure everyone knows about his carving hobby and see to it that they harass him with questions until he offs himself." He stood taller, pleased with how trapped he had the two of them. "Heaven knows that little bastard can't take pressure. He's still moping over his idiot father's death."

 _No, please, not that…oh sweetness, what are we going to do…_

Blair slowly stood up, wrapping her arms around herself. "I… I don't know what to tell you," she replied softly, not knowing what else to say.

Vegeta huffed and spun around to exit the Gravity Chamber. "Tell me you'll latch with me within a week," he grunted behind him. "Otherwise, I'm done with you and the brat." Vegeta knew he was lying. The only reason he had waited this long already was because he knew he would never gain immortality by killing her.

Still, threats could be persuasive. And from the pained look on Blair's face, this threat was working its magic already.

* * *

 _Another sleepless night_. Gohan dragged himself up and out of the window to his room, flying off into the distance.

Gohan's face remained stone cold blank, but his body writhed with intense and burning agony. The harsh wind made him wince in pain more than once.

The teen landed on the ground in the middle of a vast wilderness after flying at full speed for several minutes.

"Piccolo?"

The Namekian was already nearby, waiting for Gohan ever since he felt the boy's ki headed towards him. A small smile was present on his face even in the darkness, revealing only a fraction of the joy he felt at seeing his favorite demi-Saiyan for the first time in months. "It's good to finally see you, Gohan."

The boy looked up at his mentor, his blank countenance quickly crumbling into a mixture of pain and helplessness.

"Piccolo, I cut too deep."

The Namekian's smile quickly fell, turning into a look of horror and fear as the teen lifted up his shirt to expose his abdomen. A deep, dark gash was sliced clean through his side and around to his back, blood still trickling down onto the waistband on his jeans.

"…Gohan…"

"I didn't mean to go that deep," Gohan whimpered, knowing he sounded utterly pathetic but had nowhere else to turn. "I was just trying to make it all stop, and I guess I got carried away because then I could hardly stand and the floor was covered in blood and it won't stop bleeding and–" A harsh cough interrupted his words as he spat up red, his young body heaving as thick blood gushed out of the gash in his side.

 _And Blair wasn't there her hand wasn't there this time and I couldn't hear her voice in my head like I could before she's just gone–_

Suddenly, his thoughts were cut off by the Namekian wrapping his arms around the teen and lifting him up, cradling the boy against him in a hug.

"Gohan…" Piccolo whispered quietly, gentle but firm. He shrugged his white cape off his shoulders and wrapped it around Gohan's wound, red staining the fabric. "You need help."

The teen felt his throat tighten up and he nodded silently, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to ignore the pain in his side. "I just don't want anyone to know…"

"If you promise me that you will stop this, I'll help you and I won't make you tell anyone," Piccolo assured him. He knew it was dangerous to encourage the teen to keep this dark secret, but he knew more so that losing Gohan's trust could lead to dire consequences that he didn't even want to envision. He glanced down to look his student in the eyes. "But if I see one more scratch on you, Gohan, I am going to have to take matters into my own hands. Do you understand me?"

The teen nodded, fighting back tears as he let the Namekian fly off with him in his arms to Kami's Lookout for Dende to heal his self-inflicted wound.

* * *

Dende had always been fond of Gohan. Ever since the demi-Saiyan had saved his life on Namek back when he just a small child, the little alien never lost the admiration and loyalty he had acquired for the boy.

Not even when Gohan cut everyone off and disappeared into himself years ago.

Though he had never wanted to admit it, Dende sadly expected such a reaction from Gohan after the Cell games. While the others were busy celebrating and summoning Shenron on Kami's Lookout, the tiny Namekian had watched the boy closely from his peripheral vision. Though recently healed, he had still appeared completely beat down, like the fight in him was gone. He may have been hiding it behind a fake smile and sweeping his bangs over to hide his face - a style he would grow quite fond of - Dende was good enough at reading people to know that Gohan was not himself, and never would be again.

He just hadn't expected the worst of it to last for so long.

He also hadn't expected to see Gohan that night, cradled in Piccolo's arms and bleeding endlessly.

Dende had been watching over Earth through the night when Piccolo suddenly swooped down from out of nowhere. Normally the little alien would notice someone coming up on him; after all, he was guardian of the Earth - some even called him Kami. But ever since Piccolo, himself, and the others at the Lookout had begun sensing a new threat approaching, he had been on edge. The arrival of the taller Namekian and demi-Saiyan caught him off guard and caused his tiny heart to jump as he turned around to see who was there.

"Wh…wha?!" Dende gasped out at the sight of Gohan, now a young teenager, wrapped in Piccolo's blood-stained cape.

Piccolo's face was dead serious as he stepped towards the small guardian, Gohan's body dripping dark blood onto the pure white surface they stood on. "He needs to be healed, now," The Namekian demanded. It was extremely unusual for him to speak to anyone at the Lookout with such a harsh tone, so Dende knew it had to be an emergency. "His _ki_ is dropping fast and he's barely breathing at this point."

Dende turned his attention to Gohan. The teen's head was leaned against Piccolo's shoulder, his dark hair shielding his face, though the little alien could make out his closed eyes and parted lips as the boy struggled to take in air. His arms were clutching his abdomen tightly as though in pain, and his body was trembling slightly, growing cold at the severe loss of blood.

"Oh…Gohan…" Dende felt his stomach twist at the bloodied sight of his young savior. "Piccolo, set him down, please. We need to do this fast!"

Piccolo grunted a nod and set Gohan down in front of Dende. The teen whimpered slightly and rolled over on his side, still draped with his mentor's cape. Dende rushed over and gently pulled the white fabric off. He nearly fell over at the sight of what lied underneath - the boy's black shirt pulled up just far enough to reveal a dark, grisly gash cut deep into his side.

"Piccolo…how–"

"Just heal him, Dende! We haven't much time!" The taller Namekian spoke with such urgency, Dende snapped out of his horrified trance and quickly placed his hands over Gohan's bleeding body, a light aura forming around them. Slowly but surely, the gash closed in, settling into nothing more than a thin white scratch that would scar the boy's body for life.

Dende rubbed his small green hand along Gohan's arm as the teen's eyes flickered open. He groaned and slowly sat up, his hand running along his side where the wound was seconds before.

"…Wha…?"

"You're all healed now, Gohan," Dende grinned widely at the demi-Saiyan. "It was awful to see you in such a terrible state, but I'm so happy to see you again! It's been so long I–"

The little Namekian cut off as he took in the teen's appearance. It had been quite a while, and though he had predicted the boy to change, what lied before him wasn't quite what he'd had in mind. A mess of gothy hair, all dark attire, and his eyes - the burst of haunted blue technicolor against all the drab.

 _Is this really Gohan…?_

"…Gohan, would you mind telling me what happened? How you came to get such a deep cut on you?" Dende's eyes flashed with horror up at Piccolo. "Don't tell me…the threat…it's arrived already?!"

"No, Dende," Piccolo's gruff voice sounded softly. The Namekian looked over at the teen, keeping silent, wanting Gohan to answer for himself.

Dende watched as the boy chewed on his lip, seemingly in deep thought about his answer. _Why can't he just tell me?_

"Umm…sparring with Vegeta," Gohan finally answered flatly, avoiding Dende's eyes. "We, uh…started training, y'know, 'cause…he needed a partner and I've been working with Bulma at Capsule Corp anyway, so…I figured why not…" It was obvious he was desperate for a response; his eyes were darting around nervously and his body was tensing up fast.

"I see," Dende responded quietly. He didn't want to believe Gohan would lie to him. Gohan had always been such a good kid and a noble person. Not to mention they were friends. But as Earth's guardian watched the teen struggle to answer where his wound had come from, Dende's heart ached as he could feel a barrier forming between them; one where secrets were silent and lies were spoken.

Then again, maybe he is telling the truth. After all, where else would a gash like that come from if not the brutal prince himself?

"I, uh, should get home soon…it's pretty late," Gohan mumbled, scratching the back of his head. He turned to Dende, locking eyes with the Namekian for the first time since he arrived. "Thank you, Dende. I'm…sorry we came so late. You know how Vegeta is…train all day and all night, ahaa…" He forced a small, awkward smile in an attempt to lighten the situation.

Dende smiled back at his friend. "Well, make sure it doesn't get this bad again, Gohan. There's no telling when a threat could appear, and if you're that badly injured I may not be around to heal you in time to fight." The small Namekian turned to Piccolo, his eyes asking if he could inform Gohan of the oncoming threat they both sensed. The taller alien shook his head, and Dende pursed his lips in silence.

Gohan nodded. "Yeah…yeah, I understand." He stood up and turned to Piccolo. "I guess I'll be heading home now–"

"Wait," Piccolo grunted, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder to stop him from walking off. "Come back with me, first. We have some things to discuss." From the firm look in his mentor's eyes, Gohan knew he was disappointed in him for lying to Earth's guardian, and felt shame sink into his gut.

Dende nodded grimly, knowing Piccolo intended to tell Gohan about the danger nearby. "Well, goodnight, Gohan. Do come around more, please," He patted a tiny green hand against the boy's larger pale one. "I miss you, friend."

Dende swore he saw a cocktail of sadness, fear, and guilt mix around in the teen's eyes as he nodded and responded with a small, fake smile before flying off with Piccolo.

The little guardian sighed and rested himself on the white surface of the Lookout, gazing off into the distance where the two had departed. He longed for the friend he had in Gohan all those years ago, missing the genuine smiles and cheerful disposition he had always carried around with him. Like a quiet, modest ray of positivity radiating from him wherever he went. Dende preferred Gohan the child, who was always clad in purple like Piccolo, to the dark, melancholic teenager he had just witnessed.

"I miss you _terribly_ , my friend."

* * *

"Gohan, why did you decide to come to me now of all the times before?"

Piccolo and Gohan sat back in the Namekian's wilderness home. Piccolo would have never lied to Dende himself out of respect, but he needed to let the teen choose whether or not he would tell the small alien the truth of his wound. Though he was disappointed in the boy for fibbing, he was relieved that he was healed. _If he hadn't come to me…_

Gohan, on the other hand, was just happy that Dende hadn't seen any of his other countless cuts.

"I don't really know…" the teen replied softly, hugging his knees to his chest from the chilly night wind. "I just didn't want to bleed out, and mom or Goten seeing it I guess…" Blair's words from months ago flashed through his mind. _Oh fuck no don't think of her no_

"Gohan," Piccolo placed a hand on the teen's shoulder and turned him so they were face to face. "Gohan, do you want to kill yourself? Is that what you're trying to do?"

Gohan bit his lip, taking the question into thought. _Is that what I want…?_

After several suspenseful moments, he shook his head. "No…no Piccolo, I don't think I want to die. I just…" his face crumpled under all the pain he had held in for so long. "I just don't want to _feel_ , anymore." He glanced into his mentor's eyes as tears welled in his own.

Piccolo wrapped his arm around Gohan's shoulder and held him close. "Kid, we're going to fix this," he insisted. "You haven't been taking Goku's death as you should and it's time for you to figure out how you're going to move on in a healthy mental state."

The mention of Goku almost caused Gohan to dart away in a flash, but Piccolo quickly changed the subject when he saw the reaction on the boy's face.

"But we have other matters I've been needing to discuss with you."

Gohan turned to look at his mentor. "What do you mean?"

Piccolo gazed off into the distance with a grim look on his face. "A new threat is coming, and soon. I've had these feelings for a while, and thought that perhaps I had just been sensing the woman who murdered Baba…"

Gohan shuddered. _Who the fuck told Piccolo?!_

"…but now I know, there is a much darker power on the way to Earth. I'm not sure who or why, but we don't have much time to prepare." He glanced down at the boy. "I know you've been having weekly sparring sessions with Vegeta. Your _ki_ is far stronger than it was during the fight with Cell, as well as Vegeta's. But even so, I don't believe it's enough."

Gohan's eyes grew wide with horror and astonishment. "Not enough? How the hell could both me and him being well into SS2 level not be enough?"

Piccolo's face grew dark. "This is a power we've never felt before, Gohan. Dende and the others on Kami's Lookout are fearful as well. He didn't mention it to you while we were there, but only because I told him I wanted to break the news to you."

Gohan thought back to a few hours ago when they had gone to see Dende to heal his wound. _Come to think of it, he did look pretty weary…_

The teen bit his lip. "So what are we supposed to do? If this threat is coming as soon as you say it is, Vegeta and I can only train so much…"

Piccolo nodded. "Which is why I was contemplating asking Dende if there was any way you and Vegeta could spend any additional time in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

Gohan knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "Didn't Vegeta already use all the time he had before? I could only spend another year in there at most, and no offense, but nobody else would really be able to help me train other than Vegeta."

"Yes, that's true, but there must be some way for Dende to bend the rules for Vegeta if the earth is in as much danger as my senses tell me."

Gohan nodded and looked off into the distance. He wouldn't say it to Piccolo after the Namekian had done so much for him that night, but he dreaded the thought of going back into the Time Chamber. He had already spent a year of his childhood in there doing nothing but training, and the thought of another full year of strain made him want to hurl.

Gohan stood up as the sky slowly began to lighten from pitch dark to gray. "I should go home, Piccolo," he told the Namekian. "It's gonna be daylight soon and assuming what you say is true, I should probably go see Vegeta today."

Piccolo nodded and stood up next to the teen. "Try training every day if you can. Every little bit counts, and I'm not sure yet how things will go over with the Time Chamber, so just keep your guard up at all times." He patted Gohan on the head and gave the boy a playful smile. "And try cutting your hair. You can't fight properly with it hanging in your face all the time like some goth delinquent."

Gohan tried to smile back at the Namekian and play along, but the night had taken its toll on him and he felt exhausted. "I'll see you around, Piccolo."

"Remember our deal, Gohan," Piccolo warned, referring to the teen's promise to stop cutting. "And I expect to see you at least once a week. If you disappear, I'll assume you've started cutting again and deal with the matter myself. No more hiding from me for months, especially not after this." He jerked his head towards the boy's side where the gash had been.

Gohan nodded and looked down at the ground, feeling shameful that he had let his mentor see him such a state. "I promise," he mumbled before flying off towards home at full speed.

* * *

It was still dark out when Gohan leaped down into the attic through his window. He quickly began to climb into bed to rest up to go see Vegeta in a few hours.

"…Sweetness?"

Gohan felt his heart stop as a twinkle of honey and wind chimes sang out from behind him. He slowly turned around, his breath catching in his throat when he saw Blair standing right before him, clad in one of the black dresses he had bought her months ago.

"…Mab…how…" He could barely speak, his words hardly audible in the dark room.

"I snuck out, love," Blair whispered back. "He didn't see me…I just needed to get away… to see you before things get any worse…"

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Gohan, who for the first time, without any hesitation, quickly returned her embrace and squeezed her tight. He threw his head into the crook of her neck and let tears slip from his eyes and fall onto Blair's perfect skin.

"Mab… _fuck_ , I missed you, Mab…" He choked out as they hugged tightly and gently rocked back and forth in each other's arms.

Blair's fists clenched his shirt as if her life depended on it. She reached up with one hand and grazed her perfect fingers through the boy's mess of black hair.

The two pulled away, gazing into each other's eyes.

Both of them knew they were in danger; the second Vegeta realized she was missing, their secrets would be spilled to the world, causing certain death for one and endless trouble for the other.

Yet here, embracing one another in the dark room they had shared so many months ago, neither one of them could bring themselves to care enough to let go.

"Sweetness…"

"Mab…"

Baba's death was not forgotten. Gohan remembered how Blair had slaughtered the old lady like a pig, how easy it was for her. How she had shown no emotion. He recalled the visions of her murdering the little witch from centuries ago. He thought of his fear for his own family downstairs, all at risk over him allowing this woman into his room, whom he knew had killed countless innocents and had the power to become strong enough to destroy the universe if she wanted.

Gohan slipped his hand into hers, gazing deep into her green eyes as his insides knotted together in a way he couldn't describe.

Here's the thing; Gohan had always been intelligent beyond his years. All the logic brewing in his advanced young brain screamed for him to turn Super Saiyan right then and there. To aim a full-powered Kamehameha right through her chest. To rally up the Z Fighters and Vegeta and end her centuries-long killing spree once and for all. To figure out how to contact the witch community and let them burn her at the stake while the descendants the poor little witch she murdered cheered for overdue justice served.

After all, logic had always been a close friend of his. Intelligence was what he had relied on to learn how to fight so fast as such a young age. Intellect was all his mother had pounded into his brain up until he had sunk into his depression and cut her off.

Gohan was a smart kid, and he knew a lot of things. And as he felt himself sink like a helpless anchor into the deep green ocean of Blair the Witch's eyes, he knew in that moment that he would always forgive her, just as well as he knew that he shouldn't.

* * *

 **"** ** _The Lying Lies & Dirty Secrets Of Miss Erica Court_** **" — Coheed And Cambria**


	10. Everything Dies

Gohan nuzzled his face into Blair's violet hair as they snuggled together on his bed, breathing in her scent like a hungry addict.

The first light of dawn peeked through the window above them, a reminder that neither of them had slept.

Not being able to see Blair for so many months had taken its toll on Gohan's physical and mental states; not only was he sleep deprived and covered in twice as many cuts, but the loneliness he had felt deep within him was never more clear than it was now that he had her back. _Back for now, anyway_.

It wasn't that Gohan disliked solitude; in fact, he preferred it. But loneliness was different. It was the reason he went to the city – to be surrounded by people without having to interact.

He knew these feelings should disturb him. To feel so strongly addicted to this woman as though she were heroin, left unable to function for months without her…in truth, it was disgusting and unhealthy. And Gohan knew this wasn't normal or at all good for him. But as he inhaled her vanilla scent, running his fingers through her vividly colored hair, all he could feel was a center of relaxation fluttering in his chest.

Once Blair had come into his life, he didn't just have a silent city companion; he had someone to talk to, to share things with, to feel beside him at all times. She, in the simplest sense, made him feel almost normal, in such an abnormal way. And after having a taste of something wonderful only to have it ripped away for so long, Gohan knew he would be lost if Blair were to be taken away from him again.

Something had to be done about Vegeta.

"Mab…" He whispered into her hair. He knew she was awake, breathing softly into him, her head against his chest with her perfect hand splayed across his heart.

"Mmm, sweetness?" The honey in her voice flowed like a gentle stream.

Gohan felt his heart almost stop at the sound of his nickname, hoping she couldn't notice. "We need to go back to Capsule Corp."

Blair sat up in his bed, her green eyes sparkling with confusion. "What? Why, love?" She reached out and brushed a lock of his dark hair out of his face. "If you're worried about that man telling anyone about you…don't be, sweetness. I'll give him what he wants." Her lips curled into a small smile. "I just needed to see you first, that's all."

Gohan sat up as well, sitting cross-legged across from her on the bed. "What does he want though, Mab?" He asked with concern, fearful of the Saiyan prince's intentions.

Blair pressed her lips tightly and tensed up. "He wants immortalit."

Gohan blinked a few times, letting the words sink in. "You mean…"

"He wants us to latch."

Gohan felt like the air had been knocked out of him. "No." He shook his head furiously. "No, Blair, you can't do that. Promise me you won't." _Neither of them can be trusted with that much power…no one can…_

Blair smiled sadly. "You know I have to, love," she replied softly. "He has us under his thumb, and I can't let the witch community find out where I am. They'll have my head." She placed a hand on top of Gohan's. "Besides, it won't last for long."

Gohan glanced down at his hand, the pale skin feeling as though it were on fire under her touch. "What do you mean?" He asked quietly.

I mean, I'm just going to kill him afterwards."

" _WHAT_?!" Gohan screamed, before quickly covering his mouth with his hand so he wouldn't wake his mother or Goten. He eyed Blair angrily, fury brewing knotting his stomach. He dropped his voice to a low hiss. "What the fuck do you mean _kill him_?

Blair let out a deep sigh. "I knew you would react this way," she said softly. "And I'm sorry. I know I promised you I would stop after Baba…but I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Really, what other way out is there?" Her green eyes flashed with an innocence that made Gohan's stomach hurl.

Gohan shook his head again. "Mab…" _Please no please don't do this_

"Listen, love," Blair squeezed his hand in hers, looking deep into his eyes. "I'm not the bad one here. He's the one blackmailing us. He wants to hurt me, to hurt you. I'm not the kind of girl to stand by when someone crosses me." Her eyes narrowed into emerald slits. "You should have learned that the night I came to your window, sweetness. I didn't let you off the hook for calling me names and telling me to leave, did I?"

Gohan felt his skin crawl at the memory of Blair that night, naked and on top of him, ripping his shirt and biting into his lips…

"Besides…" Her pink lips spread into a sickeningly sweet smile. "I may as well quit lying to myself. I'm a sucker for a nice strong being. Absorbing them is my drug of choice, and I've been needing a fix."

* * *

Piccolo flew at full speed up to Kami's Lookout. He landed on the pristine white surface and raced into the temple.

"DENDE…!" He shouted, frantically scanning the room for Earth's guardian. A small hand tugged at his cape, and the Namekian pivoted around to find Dende standing behind him. The little alien's forehead was creased with worry and his eyes were round with fear.

"Piccolo…" The small guardian whispered. "You're here."

Piccolo's features tightened. "Dende, the threat…"

"So you feel it too," Dende finished. Piccolo nodded grimly.

"It's coming."

* * *

Deep in the Dormideous Sector of the universe, an evil lurked and terrorized the beings of galaxies in all directions. The Hera-seijin Bojack and his team of Galaxy Soldiers were relentless in their genocidal tendencies, destroying everything in sight without hesitation.

"Master, when do you plan on heading to that pathetic planet?" A female soldier called Zangya questioned the man in charge. The blood of her countless victims was splattered into her fiery orange hair and dripping down her teal skin. A cruel smile stretched from one of her pointed ears to the other.

Bojack, the man she had addressed as 'master,' turned his head around towards Zangya, an evil smirk sketched into his broad facial features. "Soon, my lovelies," the gypsy-pirate cackled to his group of henchmen. "Ever since we escaped that damn star and I felt the energy radiating from that puny little planet, it's all I've thought about…"

Bojack turned fully, his teal skin bathed in blood and the wind blowing wildly at his orange mane of hair, revealing the gruesome scars carved into his face.

In his fist he held the decapitated head of a small alien child, his fingers twisted into the hair and the tiny facial features forming a permanent look of terror.

"I suppose almost four years of training is enough," Bojack's grin widened. "I think it's about time this so-called 'Earth' got a taste of Bojack and the Galaxy Soldiers, don't you think?"

* * *

Gohan turned his messenger back upside down and dumped out the contents onto his bed. The disarray of paper, pencils, and books fell into a messy heap on his black covers.

"Get in," he mumbled over to Blair as he thrust the empty bag at her. He stepped over to his nightstand and reached into the drawer, snatching up his collection of small razors that ranged from rusted to shiny silver.

Blair sat on the edge of Gohan's bed, watching his swift movements with growing confusion. "Sweetness, what's all this?" She questioned him, twiddling her perfect hands nervously. "I know you're upset with me– "

"No, I'm not," Gohan turned his head to eye her firmly, his mouth a straight line. "I'm not upset at all, Blair. There's nothing to be upset about."

Blair shook her head, perplexed. "But you were so angry when I told you what we needed to do, I just thought–"

"There's nothing to be upset about because we're not going to kill anyone!" Gohan cut her off again, raising his voice in a way that surprised even himself. "If Vegeta wants to blackmail us, let the old fucker do what he wants. I'm done playing by his rules." He stuffed the handful of razors into the pocket of his black hoodie, the sharp edges leaving light scratches on his pale hands.

Blair's pink lips curled into a small smile. "Looks like you've gotten more assertive over the months, sweetness," she replied softly. "But still. If we don't do something about that man, he'll tell everyone about your scars and reveal my location to the witch community." She knitted her eyebrows, Vegeta's words haunting her mind. "We can't have that, love."

Gohan nodded. "I know, Mab. But we can't let him control us forever, either. And I'm not about to kill someone's husband and father, and neither are you."

Blair leaned forward. "So, what are you suggesting then?"

"We're fessing up. You're going to tell him that you refuse to latch, and we're going to deal with whatever he dishes out at us."

Blair's green eyes grew wide, fear brewing in their emerald depths. "You can't mean that," she stood up off the bed and stormed over to the teen. "I don't want to die and I don't want you to die, either. It's either kill or be killed and better him than us!"

Gohan tilted his head back slightly. Blair may have been older than him, may have been a few inches taller than him, but the intensity in his eyes outmatched hers. "It's time you had some faith in me, Blair," he demanded back at her. "You said you wanted a protector, well, here I am. Let me fight for you. Whether its witches or Vegeta or whatever, I'm up for it. I can do this." His words held only a tint of pleading in them, but more than that he spoke from a fire of determination he hadn't felt within himself since he was a young child.

Blair's face crumpled. "But love…we could lose everything…"

"Trust me," Gohan whispered softly, keeping their eyes locked as he slipped his hand into hers, surprised by his own confidence. "I'm done hiding. Done letting him win. Losing you helped me realize that. I'm tired of being a fucking failure and I'm not going to fail you. Just give me a chance to prove myself."

Blair's eyes glistened with tears. "…Why are you doing all of this, sweetness?" She asked quietly. "Why are you choosing me over a man you've known almost your whole life?"

Gohan gave her a small half-smile. "Because you're like me, Mab," he replied, gripping her hand tighter. "You have the power to latch with people, take their life and strength, become as strong as you want…yet all you want is to be wanted for your company. For someone to want to be around you because they actually like you, and not just for what you can do." His voice almost cracked at the final words. He thought of all the people in his life, surrounding him and praising him when he was fighting enemies or showing abnormal intellect, claiming to care so much. Yet he always found himself alone with his razors. "That's why you came to me. That's why I'm going to be your protector. You're like me, Mab."

She glanced down at their entwined hands, and felt a slight tremble in Gohan's body. It was barely noticeable, but she knew. He was scared, too.

"You're not a failure, love," Blair whispered softly. She glanced back up at him. "It's not that I don't believe in you. You have the strongest _ki_ I've ever felt. It's just…the witch community is full of powerful beings, and that Saiyan prince is ruthless when it comes to fighting." She recalled the countless times he had struck her over the months. "How do you _know_ you can do this?"

Gohan's pouty lips formed a rare grin, and his eyes lit up with an enthusiasm Blair didn't recognize. "Because you haven't seen me at Super Saiyan 2," his voice was saturated with an unashamed cockiness he hadn't allowed himself to feel since the aftermath of the Cell games. "And when I'm in that state, I'm kind of fucking psycho."

* * *

Vegeta pushed the button to open the Gravity Chamber doors, scanning the room for the little black cat.

"Witch?" He called out mockingly. "I've been up and down the halls of this damn building looking for you. This is the last damn place you could be. If you don't come out now, so help me…" He growled curse words to himself as he realized she was nowhere to be found.

 _Fucking ki-less bitch_. The prince stormed away from the chamber and towards the Capsule Corp entrance, preparing to take off towards the Son house.

 _That whore doesn't know the trouble she just got herself and her boy toy into._

* * *

Gohan crept down the stairs with Blair the cat secured in his messenger bag. Just as he rounded the corner to the living room, he froze when he saw his mother sitting at the couch. She was leaning over the coffee table, papers scattered about as she fumbled through them.

"…Mom?" Gohan called out. His voice sounded awkward as it reverberated through the silent room. Chichi gasped and quickly turned her head around, surprised to find her eldest son staring back at her.

"Gohan?" It sounded more like a question than a welcoming.

"Why are you up so early? It's barely daylight," the teen asked. He had to admit; he felt slightly annoyed by her presence. This was supposed to be his time to leave the house unnoticed; not be forced into interaction by the fact that another person was in the room.

Chichi pressed her lips together, turning back to her papers. "I've been talking to Bulma more lately, Gohan," she started, not daring to face her son. "She told me you've been working with her once a week at Capsule Corp, and that you catch on very well. She even admitted that she thinks you may be smarter than her when she was your age."

Gohan felt his eyes begin to dart around awkwardly as he fidgeted around. "Well, yeah…" he responded in an aggravated tone. "I, uh…figured if she's letting me use the Gravity Chamber with Vegeta every week I should…y'know…help her out." _It's totally not because I feel bad that I crashed her building when escaping with a most-likely-psycho witch._

Chichi nodded, still not turning to look at him. "Well, I was thinking," she picked up a pamphlet lying in the mess of papers. "If you're showing such promising intelligence, that I should finally take matters into my own hands and enroll you in high school." Her shoulders tensed at the final statement as she awaited her son's reaction.

Gohan blinked a few times as her words sunk in. "…Excuse me?" He managed to force out as he felt anger brewing inside him. "You're fucking joking, right?"

Chichi finally glared back at her son, fire flickering in her brown eyes. "Young man, you will not use that language when speaking to me!" She shouted, her voice echoing through the small house. She stormed up from the couch and got right in Gohan's face, staring her son down. "I am your mother and its high goddamn time you stop all this depressing nonsense and act like a normal child! I did not raise you to become some freak who hides away in an attic and treats his family and friends like they don't exist!"

"Oh, so _now_ you're going to stand there and act like you give a shit?" Gohan shot back, not withholding any venom in his voice. "Well, fuck you, I'm tired of your tight lipped stares and backhanded comments! You're just like everyone else; if it isn't obsessing over how strong I can be, its beating me on the head with textbooks! It's never about what I want and it never has been!"

"Son Gohan, you will stop this right now!" Chichi shouted, her voice becoming hoarse. "You don't sleep, you don't eat, you dress like a goddamn dead man, you push me and poor Goten away when all we want to do is _talk_ to you, and…" She trailed off, her eyes moving down to her son's exposed collarbone. "…Gohan, what is that?"

 _Oh, shit._

Gohan's throat tightened. He had forgotten to check himself in the bathroom mirror before coming down, hadn't he? Breathing heavily, he glanced down where his mother was looking, and noticed the messenger bag slung around his shoulder had dragged down the corner of his black hoodie, exposing just enough pale skin to reveal a long, red scar along his collarbone.

Silence settled in between the two Son family members. It didn't matter that Chichi knew Gohan trained with Vegeta every week; this wasn't an abstract wound from fist-fighting or _ki_ -blasting. This was a perfectly straight, fully intentional, angry red line across the boy's pale skin, and both mother and son knew there was no denying where the scar had come from.

"Gohan…" Chichi's eyes glassed over with tears. Her face crumpled and she pressed her tired hands to her temples. "Oh, Gohan, I should have known…" She whimpered out.

Gohan grit his teeth and clenched his fists. "It's nothing, stop being dramatic," he mumbled. "And get out of the way, I'm leaving." He tried moving past only for her to grab a handful of his hoodie, holding him back as she glared into his eyes.

"I'm sending you to a mental hospital, Gohan," she demanded, the tears coating her eyes allowing a small fire to shine beneath them. "You're not well and you haven't been well since your father died. I've been ignoring it for far too long. You need serious help that me or anyone else just can't seem to give you."

Gohan pushed her hand away and twisted his features into an ugly scowl. "Get your hands off of me. I said it was nothing so leave me the fuck alone and quit choosing inconvenient times to pretend like you give a shit about me."

 ** _Sweetness, you shouldn't talk to your mother like that…_** Gohan ignored the honeysweet voice penetrating his thoughts and let fury take over instead. "You're not fucking sending me to some school full of people who will without a doubt hate me and make fun of me, just like you do when you gossip about me on the phone. So take that pamphlet and shove it up your ass."

As he spat out the final words, he felt a sharp sting across his face as his mother struck him, her long nails scratching his pale skin.

Silence embraced the room once more as what had just happened sunk in. Even Blair kept quiet and motionless from inside the messenger bag. Gohan bared his teeth and forced back any tears he felt forming.

He easily could have avoided it. It's wasn't like some feeble slap from a human woman caused any sort of pain to a Saiyan child.

But _goddamn_ , it hurt when it came from your only parent.

"Gohan…" Chichi's voice cracked.

"No," Gohan squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. "Stop."

"Gohan, I'm sorry," tears rolled down Chichi's cheeks as she tried to place a comforting hand on her teenage son's shoulder, only for him to jerk away from her. "You're so smart and you're so much better than all this, you deserve so much better than you give yourself, Gohan, I just want you to be normal and have friends and have a future and for your life to quit revolving around what your father made of it…"

She continued rambling on, her words going in one of Gohan's ears and out the other. He cut her off by glaring deep into her brown eyes. He let his blue technicolor orbs reveal, unrestrained, all the demons that swam within their watery depths. Let the hate and anger and pain all float to the surface, and felt a pang on delight in the darkest part of himself when his poor mother flinched back at the sight.

"Fuck you," his monotone voice spit the words out like rattlesnake venom, and he calmly stepped over to the door and slammed it shut behind him.

Chichi crumpled to a heap on the floor, just as little Goten cracked his door open and stepped into the living room, woken up by all the commotion and rubbing his eyes with his tiny fists.

"Ma…?" The toddler called out, carefully approaching his mother, who was sobbing with her face hidden in her hands. "Mommy, why you crying? Do you have a booboo?"

Chichi looked up, her face covered in tears, and pulled her little boy close to her chest. "No, sweetie," she cried into his spikey Goku-esque hair. "Big brother and I just had a little fight, and mommy is very sad." She tried with all her strength to sound reassuring, though she knew her appearance gave her emotions away, even to a child as young as Goten.

Goten wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. "I sorry, mommy," he nuzzled his face into her bosom. "Go'an and I will make you smile all pretty again." He pulled away and flashed her a classic Son grin.

Chichi gave the boy a watery smile and nodded. "I'm sure, sweetie, I'm sure. I love you so much." She pulled him into another hug.

* * *

Outside, Gohan found a soft patch of dirt near the house and dug the toe of his combat boot into the earth. Once he had formed a small hole in the ground, he reached into his hoodie pocket and pulled out the collection of razors he had taken from his drawer. He threw them all in, kicking the dirt back over them.

 ** _Sweetness?_**

"Just burying the past, Mab," he mumbled down at his bag. "Anyway, we gotta get going. Vegeta's bound to have noticed that you're missing by now."

With that, the teen flew up into the sky and shot away from the Son house at full speed, his thoughts so preoccupied with facing the Saiyan prince that he didn't even notice the group of massive _ki's_ arriving at the doorstep just moments after his departure.

* * *

Piccolo's pointy ears perked up as his senses flared off the radar with extraordinary amounts of terrifying _ki's_.

"Dende…are you sensing this as well?" Piccolo growled through his bared teeth.

"Y-Yes, Piccolo…" Dende stammered. He glanced up fearfully at the taller Namekian. "Piccolo, I've never dealt with anything of this magnitude before…I know Goku asked me to be Earth's guardian, but there's at least _five_ threats here right now and I don't know if I'm built for this task–"

"Not now, Dende!" Piccolo barked at the little alien. Dende flinched at the harshness of his tone. "This is no time to doubt yourself! We need to figure out what the hell these beings are and get Gohan and Vegeta to–"

Now it was Piccolo's turn to cut off. At the mention of Gohan, he realized the five _ki's_ were moving vastly down to Earth…

…and straight toward the Son house.

"FUCK!" The Namekian screamed as he raced out of the temple, jumping off the edge of the Lookout and bursting at full speed down to the ground towards Gohan's house.

"Piccolo, wait!" Dende called out, running out onto the Lookout as fast as his little legs could take him. But it was no use. Piccolo was gone.

 _This is not good…. this is not good at all…._

* * *

Goten toddled over to the coffee table and grabbed a tissue from the blue box sitting atop the scattered papers. He held it out to Chichi, who glanced up at her little boy, tears still sparkling in her brown eyes.

"Thank you, sweetie," Chichi forced a watery smile for the sake of her youngest son. She was about to pull him in for another hug, when suddenly a loud banging came from the front door.

" _Little pigs, little pigs, let me in_!" Called a deep, threatening voice as a large fist pounded on the door, nearly busting through.

Chichi gasped and snatched Goten's arm, pulling him close to her chest. Her body trembled as she peered up from the ground just enough to peek out the window beside the front door.

She could make out a few different strange men with teal skin and enormous muscles, all with evil smirks on their face. She couldn't tell but she was sure one of them was a female, judging from the long hair and delicate facial features.

"Mommy, who that?" Goten's brown eyes were full of naivety, not understanding the man's threatening tone.

"Shhh, honey, just stay quiet…" Chichi shushed him. She listened as the man pounded harder, knocking the door off one of its hinges.

" _Open up, or I can easily blow this door down! I'm giving you a chance to be polite and welcome your guests inside for tea_!" The man mocked from behind the door, his minions cackling along from the outside.

"Mommy?" Goten whimpered. He sounded frightened now as he watched their door split from the hinges.

"Shh, be quiet," Chichi hissed down at the toddler, crouching behind the couch and holding him tight against her bosom. _They're going to get in…whoever they are, they're going to get in…oh, Goku, I need you…._

She had to make a decision, _fast_.

Determination fired up in her as she kept low and raced towards the hall closet. She opened the door and pushed Goten inside as the little boy turned and glanced up at her with fear in his round orbs.

"Mommy, where you going?" He tugged on the sleeve of her dress with his tiny hand as she tried to pull away.

Chichi couldn't keep the tears falling from her eyes as she tried to comfort her child. "Goten, sweetie, whatever you hear, whatever happens, you don't come out of here, okay?"

"Mommy, I'm scared, don't leave!" Fat tears began rolling down his round cheeks and onto his bright orange _gi_. "Please, mommy!"

Chichi leaned forward and pressed a harsh kiss to the little demi-Saiyan's forehead before yanking her sleeve from his hand and pulling away. "Be good, sweetie, Mama loves you." With that, she slammed the door behind her. She ran into the kitchen, pulling a chair into the hallway and pressing it up against the closet door knob, hoping Goten would understand not to burst through even though she knew he could. _Damn Saiyans…_

 _"_ _Last chance, little pigs!"_

Roughly wiping her face free of any tears, Chichi took a deep breath and straightened her back, stepping over to the broken door and yanking on it with both hands. It took all her strength to pull the broken wood free, and as she did it simply fell onto the floor of their living room.

She glared up at a seven-foot-tall man with teal skin and bright orange hair, scars carved deep into his face. Behind him stood four more creatures of the same kind, though none quite as frightening as him.

Forcing a faux fire of fury into her brown eyes, Chichi placed her hands on her hips. "Well, you could have just been patient and waited for me to answer the door, rather than knock it down, you idiots!" The small woman forced her old spunkiness into her voice, knowing it would get the men riled up. From behind the main culprit, she could see the female minion shoot her a dirty look.

"Ho ho ho, we've got a little firecracker!" The teal man cackled. "Say, earth woman, I've been feeling an awful lot of power coming from this house since I arrived. Pray tell me, I'm sure it's not you who possesses such strength?"

Chichi tensed her muscles to keep her body from trembling with fear, careful not to avert her gaze anywhere except shooting daggers at the man. _Gohan…_

"Afraid not, you old dog," She retorted, spitting her words at him. "Guess you broke my door down for nothing. I would love to hear how you're going to pay to fix it!"

She knew she sounded like an obnoxious idiot. She knew this was going to get her killed, or at least seriously injured. But anything was worth keeping these monster's attention on her and away from her children.

The man's face hardened as he concentrated his senses. "Well, fuck me, I suppose you're right. It seems we just missed him, fellas," he called out to the group behind him, who all let out aggravated sighs.

"Come on, Bojack, you said the strong being was here!" One of the henchmen whined.

"Don't tell me we came all this way for nothing!"

"I don't feel like running around this boring planet looking for it!"

As the rest of the men whined, the female minion was growing increasingly annoyed. "Shut up, all of you!" She shouted out. She turned back to Chichi, her eyes narrowing and an evil grin spreading across her face as her voice grew low and sultry. "Clearly she's lying. Maybe we can persuade this pasty little bitch to tell us where to find what we're looking for, hmmm, Bojack?" She glanced up the man, purring her words like a kitten.

Bojack's muscular body rumbled with laughter. "But of course, Zangya! Marvelous idea!" He jerked his head towards two of his henchmen, who nodded and rushed to either side of Chichi. The human woman cried out as they each took one of her arms and dragged her outside, restraining her where she stood.

"Now, earth woman," Bojack cooed down to her. "Don't tell me lies. I'm no fool. I can feel another little power inside your house like a sitting duck, waiting for me to snap its neck."

Chichi bared her teeth and hocked up phlegm in her throat, spitting it right into the man's eye.

Everyone seemed to freeze in the moment. Bojack took in a deep breath, wiping the spit from his eye with one finger, and quickly backhanded Chichi across the face. His strong force against her weak human nature caused more damage than normal; her cheekbone smashed in her face and several blood-coated teeth flew out of her mouth at the impact.

"Hmmf," Bojack grunted. "It doesn't matter. The little shit inside your home is pretty strong, but nothing like what we're after."

 _Oh, god, Gohan, please don't come back…_

A cruel grin spread across Bojack's face as he saw fear forming in the woman's eyes. Thick blood drooled down her chin, her mouth hanging open to reveal the empty spaces where teeth should be and the left side of her face welling up a dark purple from the harsh bruising.

"Maybe we can beat the location of our little treasure out of you?"

* * *

Gohan landed in front of Capsule Corp just in time to see Vegeta storming out of the entrance. The man's features were twisted in anger as he caught the demi-Saiyan walking towards him.

"Where the _fuck_ is she?" He came up to the teen and shouted in his face. Gohan remained calm and expressionless under the man's glare. "I know you have her, you little shit. If you both know what's good for you, you'll hand her over _this instant!"_

"Fine," Gohan replied coolly. "Blair, get out of the bag."

The little black cat hopped out of Gohan's messenger bag, looking up at him with perplexed green eyes. **_Sweetness…?_**

"Just trust me," he spoke down to the creature, not caring what Vegeta thought of it. "Turn into your human form."

The cat dissipated into wisps of purple smoke and grew into the beautiful form of Blair the Witch, clad in one of her black dresses.

Vegeta glared hatefully at the woman. "You've done it now, witch bitch," he growled at her. "Give me what I want this second or you and the brat can kiss your precious secrets goodbye."

Gohan couldn't stop the smirk from spreading across his face. "Go ahead, fucker," he mocked Vegeta. "I don't care anymore." My mom already knows everything; what more can you do to me?"

"Wipe that cocky grin of your face, you disrespectful brat!" Vegeta shouted as he attempted to punch the teen in the jaw, only for Gohan to easily duck out of the way, his grin growing wider as he watched the Saiyan stumble forward as he missed his target.

Vegeta's temple was throbbing now, his growing anger evident in his bloodshot eyes. "You may be okay with everyone knowing that you're a self-mutilating freak, but that doesn't mean I can't still send this bitch to be burned at the stake!" He jabbed a finger over at Blair, who frowned at the man. "Now is she going to give me what I want, or do I need to get some fucking shots ready to celebrate her death?"

Blair glanced over at Gohan, her eyes pleading with him to give her guidance on what to do next. Gohan gave her a confident smile before turning back to the prince.

"Why don't you ask her?" He responded, crossing his arms. From his peripheral vision, he could see a quick flash of betrayal in Blair's eyes. He reached over and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"You can do this," he whispered. "Stand up to him. I need to go see Bulma, but I'll be keeping tabs on his _ki_ to make sure he doesn't hurt you."

" _WHAT_?!" Blair hissed back, her eyebrows knitting with worry. "You're just going to leave me alone with him?!"

"Mab!" Gohan gripped her shoulders in his hands. "I said it was time to stop hiding. I meant that for me _and_ for you. I know I'm putting you on the spot here, but you can do this. I'm going to protect you, but you have to work with me and stop hiding in the shadows from those damn witches!"

Blair bit her lip, glancing down at the ground in deep thought. "…You said you'll be keeping tabs on his _ki_? What if he transforms before you have a chance to come back?

"I saw your power when you fought Baba," Gohan replied reassuringly, trying hard to force the image of Baba's slaughtered corpse from his mind. "You knocked both me and Vegeta down without even trying. If you can do that, I have every confidence that you could put up a fight even if he went Super." The teen turned his attention to Vegeta. "Which, I'm sure he won't transform at all, considering he's right in front of Capsule Corp where the entire press will see that Bulma Briefs is harboring some alien madman?" He flashed another smirk at the Saiyan prince, who was tinting red with anger. "Wouldn't want to get your wife thrown in prison, would you, Vegeta?"

Gohan didn't want to bring Bulma into this. With all the fame surrounding her, he knew it was risky to threaten her good name, especially considering he was gambling with Vegeta's temper. But he had to make sure Blair would stay safe while he went inside. _She needs to quit hiding and start fighting!_

The Saiyan shoved Gohan out of the way to get to Blair. "You wanna talk, then let's talk, witch bitch," he growled in her face. Blair shot a small smile over at Gohan, knowing his threat had worked.

"You can do this, Mab," he sent her back a genuine smile. "Remember, I'm keeping tabs. I'll only be gone a few minutes." With that, he turned and stepped inside the blue walls of Capsule Corp.

* * *

Vegeta stared down Blair, who merely stood gazing at the ground.

"Well, what do you have to say, woman?" The prince grunted, trying to calm himself for Bulma's sake. He would never admit it out loud, but Gohan's threat of exposing their true extraterrestrial nature had him worried for his wife. "I'm done fighting with you, and I'm sure as hell not going to hold my patience if you and Dracula Junior start some fucking rebellion against me. You can either latch or die. Your pick." He waved a hand casually in the air, as though the mention of her death were nothing major.

Blair twiddled her thumbs, stuck in her thoughts. _No more hiding…Gohan said from now on, we're fighting…_

 _…_ _. Couldn't hurt to toy with the little prince, though, could it?_

Blair pressed her lips tightly together before they spread into a wide and wicked pink smile, and she lifted her head to glare at Vegeta with narrowed green daggers.

"Don't think you have me in a snare, Saiyan prince," her honeysweet voice was coated with malevolence. "I'll never be any puppet of yours. All you've done from the moment you stole me away was help me out." She let out a small laugh as Vegeta cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Why the sudden change in character? You've gone from shaking in your fur to smiling like a fucking psycho," Vegeta sneered, crossing his arms. "And you must be _really_ fucking psycho if you think I've been helping you out, bitch. How the hell is you coming to me quietly a part of any plan of yours?"

Blair quickly thought his words over, trying to see how she could turn the situation in her favor. _Perhaps I should look more confident?_ Shifting her weight on one leg, she placed her perfect hands on her slender hips and shot the man a cocky, sexy half-smile. "Well…for one, I got to know my way quite well around your humble abode over the months. Two, I saw first-hand just where you stand in strength with my lovely little half-Saiyan. And three," her grin grew wider as she flashed her perfect teeth at the man, proud of the plan she had devised in just a few short moments. "Losing me made Gohan realize just how much he wants me."

Vegeta's muscles tensed and he narrowed his black eyes at the witch. "Pray tell, woman, just what do you mean by that?"

Blair's pretty wind-chime voice rang out as she laughed. "I mean, Saiyan prince, that although Gohan _was_ angry with me for killing Baba, he's _now_ aimed that anger towards you for taking me! And I have every confidence that he will do anything to protect me from you, from the witch community, from anything." She crossed her own arms and held her head high. "And a reliable protector is precisely what I wanted from the very beginning."

Vegeta stared at the woman for a moment longer, before bursting into laughter himself. "Ho ho, witch! Who would have thought you just wanted that cocky son of a bitch wrapped around your finger?" He flashed her his own version of a wicked grin. "Nevertheless, the brat may be strong, but he would be nothing against me and an army of witches. So you can take your threats on your hands and knees and swallow them."

Blair pouted at the man's vulgarity. "Oh, I know that. But I also know for a fact that you won't go telling that witch community anything about little old me."

Vegeta sneered. "And why the fuck not?"

 _He really doesn't know what I'm capable of…_ Blair giggled lightly, slowly stepping towards the prince as she spoke in a low, menacing tone:

"Because, Saiyan prince, I know your home like the back of my teeny tiny paw. I know where your sleep with your pretty wife at night, her lovely throat just waiting for my claws to slash it open while she dreams. I know where your little boy sleeps, and I adore the thought of creeping into his room at night, twisting his tiny head round and round until his little neck snaps over and over again before it finally just…pops! right off his shoulders. And you, Saiyan prince? I know that if you truly want to latch with me, I could easily have my Gohan beat you into a weakened pulp, where I'll snag a chance to cut your belly open with my bare nails and drag your intestines out, inch by inch, until I feel all your sexy Saiyan _ki_ flow into me while you watch…"

Vegeta stood silently, growing increasingly disturbed by the witch's words. His eyes grew wide and his lips twisted into a disgusted scowl as he listened while Blair described in detail the horrific things she would do to him and his family should he alert the witch community of her whereabouts.

And he knew, when it came to Bulma and Trunks, he could do nothing so long as she had Gohan on her side. He felt a rare pang of caution for the young demi-Saiyan.

"Witch…" Vegeta growled out. "Just what in the actual fuck are you doing with Gohan?"

Blair gazed deep into Vegeta's eyes, her green emeralds shining more than ever. "Like I've been saying, dear, I want a protector, not another short-lived latch. My little sweetness was a perfect fit. We both want to be wanted for our company, not our power." She smiled sweetly at the thought of Gohan as she repeated his words from earlier. "I don't know what it is about him, but there's no one I'd rather have by my side."

"Besides," she winked at the prince. "I can trust that he'll never leave me. After all, I am one _hell_ of an addiction."

* * *

It didn't take Gohan long to find Bulma once he entered Capsule Corp; she was working on a project alone in the tech room. Keeping his senses on Vegeta's _ki_ to ensure he wasn't hurting Blair, the teen walked over to where the blue-haired woman sat and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh!" Bulma cried out as she turned around, surprised to see the gothic teenager's blue eyes burning into her. Despite his grim countenance, she grinned widely and hugged her favorite demi-Saiyan tightly. "Gohan! What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you until the end of the week!"

Gohan pursed his lips and gently pushed Bulma back off of him, locking eyes with her and speaking in a firm tone. "Why did you tell my mom to enroll me in high school?"

Bulma frowned at the teenager's sour tone. "I didn't Gohan," she shook her head. "When we talked last, I mentioned how well you've been doing here at Capsule Corp and she came up with the idea herself."

"But you encouraged it?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders as she let out a big sigh. "I should have guessed you would react this way…jeez, kid," she rolled her eyes up at the ceiling. "Why are you so reluctant to be a normal teenager, Gohan? You have the looks of a movie star and the brain of Einstein; you could be anything you want to be, yet you choose to dress like a delinquent and keep yourself locked up in an attic."

Gohan averted his eyes and grimaced at her compliments, not trusting them. "Sounds like you actually believe all the gossip that bitch spews out to you," he mumbled, not intending for her to hear.

But she had. Bulma gasped at the boy angrily. "Gohan! How could you speak about your mother that way?" She closed her eyes, shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose between two fingers. "And what, are you trying to say that you _don't_ sit up in your room all day? Because we both know that would be a lie."

Gohan tensed up and remained silent.

"Thought so, kid."

Gohan scowled down at the ground as he thought of his mother. "She doesn't care about what I want," he finally retorted. "She talks shit about me and only wants me to go to school because she loves making me miserable." _Like how I made her entire life miserable when I killed her husband._

Bulma glanced down at the boy, sadness filling her gaze. "Gohan, honey, that's not what Chichi is trying to do," she placed a comforting hand on the teenager's shoulder, which caused him to flinch. "I…know she's not the best parent. She doesn't know how to communicate without yelling; hell, she never has. But she's _trying_ , Gohan. I can promise you that she tries." She bit her lip and paused for a moment before continuing in a lower tone. "And you can admit that you're not the easiest son to get along with, either, can't you?"

Gohan lifted his head and glared up at the woman. "The hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, for one, you seriously need to learn to control your language when speaking to adults," Bulma barked down at him, placing her hands on her hips. "You were always such a good kid, Gohan; what on earth happened to you?" She quickly bit her tongue, realizing she had inadvertently ventured into dangerous territory.

Gohan froze and hardened his features, clenching his fists tightly as he tried to stop his body from trembling with rage. _Everyone knows what the fuck happened_.

"Never mind that," Bulma waved her hands in front of her defensively. "What I mean, Gohan, is that you can't place all the blame on your mother."

Gohan growled lowly before crossing his arms and staring back down at the ground. "…She wants to send me to a mental institution."

"…What? Why?"

Gohan held his tongue. The wings on his back burned like fire.

Bulma watched the teenager for a moment before realizing he wasn't going to answer. She sighed deeply and wrapped her arms around the boy in a tight hug.

"I'll talk to her, Gohan," she spoke quietly, trying to calm him. "I promise. I'll make sure she doesn't send you away." She pulled away and gently lifted Gohan's chin until their eyes met once more. "But, you have to promise me that you'll apologize and make up with her, okay?"

Gohan narrowed his eyes. "Apologize for what?"

"For everything, Gohan. One being that attitude."

Gohan thought for a moment, studying the concerned look in Bulma's eyes. He really did value her opinion; he always had. Bulma was more of a mother to him than his own mom had ever been.

 _Still…maybe I have been a little harsh on mom…_

"Come on, Gohan," Bulma pleaded with the teen. "Can't you at least admit that she deserves _some_ sort of effort from you to connect with her?"

Gohan gripped his hoodie and bit his lip, sinking into himself. He thought of all the frozen dinners she left in the fridge for him. How she let him change rooms to the attic when he knew she dreaded the idea. The fact that she never intruded on his privacy when she easily could. How she had let him bring Mab in without a second thought.

 _Goddamn it…_

"…Okay," he responded finally. "Okay. If you make sure she doesn't send me away, I can apologize to her. I will when I get home."

Bulma smiled, proud of the boy she had watched grow up throughout the years. "I'm glad, Gohan," she beamed at him. "And I promise I'll call her tonight. I would love to hear that you two are getting along better, okay?"

Gohan nodded, trying to swallow his pride at the thought of the conversation with his mother that was bound to be awkward as hell.

 _Quit being a pansy_ , he mentally scolded himself. He frowned as he thought of his earlier behavior and the way he had spoken to her. _You know you were an ass; just suck it up and apologize. She deserves it._

 _Yeah…mom really deserves it._

* * *

Chichi was utterly beaten down.

The two henchmen still had her by the arms, while a third had taken a place behind her, his fist twisted into her hair that had fallen free of the neat bun she always styled it in. He kept her facing straight towards Bojack as he pounded into her again and again.

"That's right, make sure she watches, Bujin," Bojack cackled as he easily broke Chichi's jaw, cutting off her screams. "Oops, hope that doesn't stop her from being able to tell us where our prize is!"

Chichi couldn't even cough anymore; she could only drool out blood to keep from choking. " _Hnnnn_ ," She muttered from deep in her throat, spitting out more streams of blood. " _Nnnnoo_ …"

Bojack frowned. "Come now, woman, I'm not even trying. I'm having to hold back everything just to keep from killing you with one hit, and you're still not talking!" He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Perhaps we need to step it up?"

With that, he grabbed a fistful of her dress from around her chest, ripping the fabric clean off her body in a single motion. She stood there naked as the man gestured for Zangya to take his place.

"Maybe she's more cordial with other ladies?" He suggested in a humorous tone, and Zangya beamed at the thought of taking over.

"I think that sounds reasonable," Zangya giggled as she stood before the human woman, cracking her knuckles to begin.

Chichi trembled before the teal female. She had always been a modest woman; so traditional and conservative, wanting to raise her boys to be the same way. Standing naked before all these cruel, vicious men as this woman mocked her, she felt stripped of any dignity she had left.

Zangya came up to Chichi's face, spitting into the woman's eye and watching it drip down her bloodied face, knowing she was unable to wipe it away or retaliate. "That was for Bojack," she growled quietly, and snatched up a fistful of Chichi's silky black hair.

"Pretty hair…" she cooed, before ripping it violently from the woman's scalp, the entire bundle tearing out all at once as Chichi gurgled a scream in pain. Zangya tossed the bloodied black locks to the dirt, smiling as the skin dangled from the bald patch on the woman's head.

Chichi opened her one eye that wasn't swollen over, using any fire she had left in her to look her murderers in the eyes. _All for my kids…it's all for my kids…_

Zangya pulled her fist back, preparing to strike Chichi in the face, when suddenly Bojack snatched her arm and stopped her.

"Wait," he grunted, turning his head to stare off into the distance. "What the hell is that?"

The other villains all perked their ears and gasped in unison.

"There's a powerful _ki_ headed this way!" Zangya cried out.

"Wonderful! Is it the one we came here for?" Kugo smiled widely.

"No…it's nowhere near what I sensed before, but it's still strong enough to interfere with our search," Bojack frowned as the others all groaned in annoyance by the news. He pondered what to do about the situation, before finally, he grinned and turned back to Zangya.

"Zangya, dear, you've shown quite the improvement during our training over the years," the man complimented her. "Why don't you do the honors of snapping the neck of whatever pest is headed over here?"

The teal woman's face lit up as she smiled wickedly from ear to pointed ear. "Yes, Bojack! Anything for you, master!" She winked an eye at her leader before jumping up into the sky and racing off towards the _ki_ they had felt.

" _Hnggnnnn_ ," Chichi gurgled out as blood spat out between her lips. _Please, oh god, please don't be one of our friends…_

Bojack frowned as he turned back to the naked human woman restrained by his henchmen. "I've grown quite impatient with you," he spoke in a bored tone. He smirked as he turned his gaze to the Son house behind her.

"Perhaps I should shift my attention to whatever little shit is hiding in your puny home?"

* * *

Piccolo was flying full speed towards the Son house, and he had almost reached his destination when suddenly a flash of bright teal knocked him to the ground in a single blow.

Crashing into the earth, Piccolo coughed and squinted his eyes through the dust gathering around him, trying to find the culprit who had attacked him.

He was shocked to find a teal alien-like woman with fiery hair and pleasant facial features floating towards him out of the debris.

"Urrrgh…who the hell are you?" He grunted to the woman as he lifted an arm to shield his eyes from the gathering dust, struggling to lift his battered body from the ground where he had crashed.

"Hmmm, what's this? Another alien? How suitable…," the teal female cackled as she narrowed her eyes at the Namekian. "So you're the _ki_ we felt, huh? Well, let's see what you've got!" She raised her fists up to eye level and smirked at the green alien.

Piccolo gritted his teeth and stared out in the direction towards the Son house. _Gohan_ …

The Namekian shifted his attention back to Zangya and stood up, pressing two fingers to his forehead.

"I don't have time for you, woman…" He focused his energy and prepared his attack.

* * *

Gohan thanked Bulma for taking the time to talk to him, reminding her to call his mom that night to ensure she wouldn't send him away. Stepping outside Capsule Corp, he found Blair grinning in Vegeta's face while the Saiyan prince wore a look of disturbance.

"You guys finished here?" Gohan called out, and both turned to him. Blair smiled sweetly as she ran up to hug the teen.

"Thank you, love," she whispered into his ear. "You were right. I stood up for myself and now I'm sure that man won't be threatening me with the witch community anymore!" She pulled away and beamed at the boy.

Gohan smiled back before sending a cocky smirk in Vegeta's direction. "Guess you aren't so tough now, huh, your highness?"

Vegeta glared back at the teen with a serious glint in his eyes. "Gohan…" he started, for once addressing the boy by his actual name. "I don't think you know as much about that witch bitch as you think you do."

Gohan was about to retort when his senses rang off like wildfire with enormous amounts of _ki_.

"…What the fuck?!"

Vegeta saw the alarmed look on the teen's face and concentrated his own senses, shocked by the extraordinary power levels in the distance. _These aren't just ordinary ki's…these are outworldly beings…_

"Shit…I knew Kakarot's idiotic decision to stay dead wasn't going to keep this pathetic planet safe…" The prince growled to himself, clenching his fists.

Gohan could feel his body tremble uncontrollably as he realized just where the mysterious beings were located: The Son house.

 _Goten…Mom…!_ He had been so focused on keeping tabs on Vegeta's _ki_ that he hadn't even realized it till now.

"Sweetness?" Blair's smile faded and she knitted her brows with worry, sensing the _ki's_ herself. "Love, what is all this? Who's at your house?"

"I need to go…I need to go now!" Gohan sprinted off and jumped into the air, blasting at full speed towards his home.

"Wait!" Blair called out, but it was no use. Gohan was long gone within seconds.

Vegeta grunted behind her. "Well, witch bitch, aren't you going to hop on your broomstick and fly after your boy toy?"

Blair shot him emerald daggers "Quit being an ass," she spat at him. She turned back, staring off into the distance where Gohan had flown off. "I don't know how to fly…I can only levitate…"

"Ever thought it might be because you don't have any fucking _ki_?" Vegeta burst into laughter. "Funny, huh…just moments ago you were talking a big game, yet the second that brat comes around, you're suddenly sweet as a kitten." The prince hardened his features. "I'll ask you again, woman. Just what in the actual fuck are you doing with that kid?"

Blair didn't avert her gaze from where Gohan had flown off. Without turning back to Vegeta, her lips curled into a small smile as she replied softly with one word:

" _Protector_."

In a wisp of purple smoke, she dissipated into the form of a green-eyed raven. Stretching her wings, she flew off after her savior, leaving the prince of Saiyans behind with his thoughts.

* * *

 _"_ _Perhaps I should shift my attention to whatever little shit is hiding in your puny home?"_

Chichi felt her heart stop at Bojack's words. _Goten_!

" _Hggh…no…please…"_ Blood drooled out of her mouth and gurgled in her throat as she pleaded with the Hera-seijin. She struggled against the henchmen who restrained her where she stood.

Bojack grinned at her reaction. "You don't like that, do you, earth woman?" He chuckled as he slowly flew up into the air, floating over the Son house. "Well, you should have thought of that before you chose not to answer me…"

Reaching out his arm and facing his palm to the small home, he prepared a neon green _ki_ blast.

Chichi watched in horror as the man aimed the blast at her home. The house her and Goku lived in. The house her children grew up in.

The house her baby boy Goten was sitting in right now, locked away in a closet, waiting for her to come back.

" _Please_ …!" She spat out streams of black blood, trying to scream without use of her jaw and missing several teeth. " _Guuugh…please, don't…_ "

"What was that?" Bojack called down to her mockingly. "Did you say you wanted to tell me where that powerful being we're looking for is? Or did you say you wanted to watch your pathetic home and whoever is in it burn to the ground?"

Tears slipped down Chichi's bruised cheeks, stinging the wounds. _I can't…I can't choose between my own children…_

Gohan. Smart, handsome, misunderstood Gohan. The little boy who held the pressure of the world on his shoulders ever since he was only four-years-old. The boy who saved the world from Cell. The young teenager who helped raise his baby brother when he still needed a father himself, when all he wanted was to hide away with his pain in solitude. Her Gohan.

And Goten. Sweet, precious little Goten. The only light the Son family had to cling onto when Goku died. The happy, cheerful, orange-clad toddler who never failed to bring a smile to everyone's face…even the sulking Gohan.

Chichi felt her shoulders slump forward, her body giving in when all her spirit wanted to do was keep fighting. Bido and Kugo gripped her arms tighter to keep her from falling over. Behind her, Bujin released the remnants of her hair, standing off to the side out of range from the potential blast Bojack was preparing.

"Last chance, earth woman!"

Chichi quivered as sobs escaped her swollen eyes. " _Can't…hnnngh…I can't…"_

"…Very well then. Say goodbye!"

Bojack raised his arm up towards the sky, charging his blast to full power, and threw it full force down towards the Son house…

…and as the attack hit, the little dome-shaped home disintegrated in a burst of flames, a deafening explosion echoing over the mountains. The hungry flames left nothing behind but debris and scattered pieces of broken wood, the wind fanning them over the vast land.

Chichi, though her back was turned to the house, listened as the home she raised her family in went up in smoke and flames. She squeezed her swollen eyes shut and screamed out into the open field, her broken jaw hanging open and blood spilling out of her mouth and all over her naked body. Her legs gave out and the men restraining her were the only force keeping her from crashing face-first into the dirt.

Bojack flew down to the ground, standing before the hysterical woman with a smug grin on his scarred face. "See what happens when you don't just tell the truth, earth woman?" He cooed down at her. "Now whatever little powerhouse was hiding away in your home is cooked along with it! See what you've made me do, woman?"

Chichi's screams grew louder at the indirect mention of Goten.

Her little Goten. Her three-year-old baby boy who had hugged her as she cried and fetched her a tissue not even an hour ago…gone. Burned to a crisp along with her and Goku's humble home.

 _My fault…all my fault…I couldn't protect them…I'm not Goku…_

Bojack frowned at the disturbing scene before him; the once pretty, naked human with blood pouring out all over her bare skin, her hair ripped from her scalp on one side of her head, the missing teeth, the broken jaw, the swollen eyes squeezing out an endless stream of tears. Her body was slumped forward, and he could see that the fair skin on her back was burned from the heat of the explosion behind her. Her wails rang out across the vast land before them.

"Disgusting," Bojack grimaced down at the woman. "Disgusting and pathetic."

Bujin stood off to the side, his hands clasped over his pointed ears. "Please, master! Just shut that earthling up before we're all deaf!" He called out over Chichi's incoherent cries.

Bojack chuckled lightly and cracked his knuckles. "I suppose you're right, Bido. Bujin, Kugo: lift her up, boys. This imbecile has wasted enough of my time."

Chichi's arms nearly snapped underneath the force of the two Hera-seijins forcing her body into an erect position. She looked up at the teal man with her injured eyes, tears no longer slipping out of them and stinging her cheeks. She had no tears left.

Whimpering, Chichi watched as Bojack clenched his fist and brought his arm back, a maniacal grin on his face…

" _MOM_!"

 _Gohan…!_

It was her last thought before Bojack thrust his giant fist forward into her stomach, tearing right through her fragile human shell until his arm came out clean on the other side of her body.

* * *

"MOM!"

Gohan screamed out as he saw a small group of teal creatures surrounding his mother. His stomach knotted as he noticed she was naked and covered in blood, her hair ripped from her scalp, her jaw hanging off….

 _Mom…oh Kami no, mom…_

He burst at full speed down to the ground, crashing to a landing on his feet and sprinting forward.

 _Please…_

He watched the teal man pull his fist back.

 _No no no no no no_

Running faster, he saw the man's fist come forward, making impact with his poor mother's fragile body.

 _Mom please no mom_

His heart nearly burst from lack of oxygen as he saw the man's arm come out on the other side of her body, her spine shattering out into fragments, blood and intestines pouring out at her legs.

 _M…o….m…._

Gohan fell hard to his knees, his head spinning and throbbing as the echoes of his mother's final screams pounded around his head like a loose bullet trapped inside his skull.

Her limp body fell in a bloodied heap of lifeless flesh and guts to the dirt below. The men beside her cackled down at the corpse along with their master.

His mother's corpse.

 _Mom…my mom…_

Gohan's mind flashed with images he couldn't control. His skin burned and his muscles tensed involuntarily.

 _Goku pressing two fingers to his forehead. Goku disappearing from Earth. Goku dying in another world. Goku dying because of Gohan because of fucking Gohan_

The teen began shaking with rage and baring his teeth.

 _"_ _Fuck you."_

His last words to his own mother. He looked over at her dead, naked body, bleeding endlessly into the earth.

 _"_ _Fuck you."_

Gohan's black gothy hair bristled as air began to swirl around him, picking up dirt and debris along with it.

"Hey, Bojack, who is that kid?"

The teal men were now facing him. The large man with fiery orange hair narrowed his eyes and stepped towards Gohan, a concentrated countenance on his harsh features as he studied the horror-struck boy on his knees, his black hair swooshing over his technicolor eyes like a fluttering curtain.

Suddenly, a wicked grin spread across the man's face.

"It's him, boys!" He called back to the others. "Ho ho, I can feel it! Who would have thought this whole time, we've been searching for a goddamn teenager! Ahh, life is full of surprises!"

Bojack drew closer to the teen, chuckling low in his throat. "What took you so long, kid?" He mocked the boy, who seemed frozen. "I've been searching for you for years. Ever since I felt your amazing _ki_ from planets away all those years ago…" The Hera-seijin crossed his arms and grinned over at the growling teenager. "For all my patience, would you do me the honors of fighting me, and letting me snap your skinny neck once I'm finished with you?" The henchmen behind him all cackled in unison.

Gohan began hyperventilating with rage, baring his teeth as his skin felt like it was bursting into flames. Finally rising to a standing position, he struggled to stop his shaking body from tumbling over. His skin was boiling now, and he lifted his hoodie up over his head and threw it to the ground, unable to withstand the intense burning he felt. The t-shirt he wore underneath did nothing to cover the angry red scars that crisscrossed his arms. He snapped his head up and shot daggers at the man with his bloodshot blue orbs.

Bojack cocked an eyebrow at the boy, impressed by his untamed appearance. "Guess this apple fell far from the tree…" Bojack laughed heartily. "Your bitch mother couldn't stop barking, yet all you do is hiss, strip, and growl…haahaaa…."

Gohan clenched his fists until the veins popped on his pale skin and his nails dug into his palms until trickles of blood formed.

"So tell me, kid," Bojack continued. "What took you so long? Did it really take me killing your idiot mother and blasting your home for you to show the fuck up?"

 _Blasting my…?_

Gohan glanced over beside him.

 _How could I have not seen…_

He had been so horrified by the grisly sight of his mother's corpse, he hadn't noticed his home.

Or what used to be his home.

The destroyed remains of the Son house rested in flames and smoke, the wind fanning out burning shreds of remnants towards Gohan, swirling into the whirlwind of air around him like a cruel ring of fire.

 _Goten…_

He thought of his little brother. Goten clinging to his sleeve as they walked through the city. Goten sleeping soundly as Gohan tucked him into bed. Goten being born without a father all because he had a bastard of a sibling, yet the infant wrapped in a blue blanket still smiling and giggling with glee up at his big brother the second he was in his arms.

The happy child in his mind burned and melted away into flames, just as the boy had in real life.

 _Never again…no mom…no Goten…no Goku…. all gone…_

Bojack narrowed his eyes once more and paused in his steps, speaking in a quieter, more menacing tone. "I've been wanting to meet you for a long time, young earthling…tell me, boy of extraordinary power levels – what is your name?"

 _Mom…Goku…. Goten…._

 **—** **Snap**

* * *

 **"** ** _Everything Dies_** **" — Type O Negative**

* * *

 **If I recall correctly I don't think Dende can sense ki's but I let him for this story.**


	11. Don't Save Me

**_"_** ** _HRAAAAAAAAAAA!"_**

Gohan threw his head back and howled in rage up towards the sky as flashes of lightning swirled around him. The teen let the anger and pain consume his entire being, his hair flaring into gold and his muscles becoming increasingly defined along his scarred arms.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Bido screamed out, shielding his eyes from the waves of pure energy radiating off the boy.

Bojack didn't respond; he merely stood wide-eyed as he watched the demi-Saiyan transform into a new version of himself. The deafening cries of rage echoed across the land. The cries were so animalistic, so full of anguish and torment, it was impossible to believe that they came from a boy so young. Not to mention his rapid changes in appearance; the disheveled jet black hair bursting into angry spikes of gold, the remarkable definition of his muscles despite his tall, lanky stature, the unimaginable _ki_ …

Bojack knew he had been after one hell of a powerful being…but this bizarre scene was most definitely not what he'd had in mind. _It's not possible…this boy is no human! He's something outworldly…but what?!_

Gohan's cry cut off and his chest heaved up and down. He bared his teeth, shaking with fury. It had been three years, almost four, since he had last transformed into his Super Saiyan 2 state. Nearly four years since the Cell games when he had lost his father. When he had killed Goku.

And now he had allowed his mother and little brother to be killed by not being there for them.

 _Why the fuck do I destroy everything that comes near me…?_

The boy opened his eyes, revealing two luminescent orbs as bright as cyan, burning with hatred as he glared over at the man who had murdered his mother and little brother.

"You…are going…to fucking _pay_ ," Gohan growled ominously, his gold bangs fluttering over his daggering eyes.

Bojack soaked in the extraordinary sight before him, a slow grin spreading across his face. "In all my existence…I never could have imagined such incredible power," the man breathed out in awe. A slow chuckle escaped his throat as he positioned himself in his fighter stance. "It's a shame Zangya is going to miss out on this…get ready, boys…this is going to be a fight to remember!"

* * *

As Piccolo prepared his Special Beam Cannon attack at Zangya, who stood awaiting his first move, the two were suddenly taken aback when a thundering cry of rage sounded off in the distance, followed by a burst of immense _ki_.

Piccolo gasped, sensing Gohan's power level peaking to an all-time high. His concentration faltered as he quickly turned in the direction of the Son house, fearing for the demi-Saiyan's life.

 _Gohan…whatever this threat is, it's found him already…_ He grit his teeth, distress for his student's well-being overtaking his senses. _I was foolish not to predict they would be after someone of his strength…I can't be too late to help him!_

"What the hell?!" Zangya twisted around to look off into the distance. "No way that power is coming from that pasty bitch back there…what the hell is this?" She furrowed her brow with worry. _Bojack_ …

Piccolo's features tightened, the direness of the situation beginning to dawn on him. _Not since Cell has there been an enemy that pushed Gohan to this extreme…only now, the kid is a ticking time bomb…he doesn't know how to control his emotions or his power, and Goku isn't here to set him straight anymore…_

Zangya's gaze darted back down to the Namekian, remembering her duty. _This asshole needs to go…I have to get back to Bojack!_

Taking advantage of the distraction, she stole a chance to fire a powerful _ki_ blast down at Piccolo while he was turned away.

From his peripheral vision, Piccolo saw a flash of yellow shooting in his direction. Pivoting back around to Zangya, he realized her attack just in time to meet the blast head on.

 _FUCK_!

The neon ball of energy crashed into the green alien, and he flew back meters away, crying out in surprise. The ground caved in under the force, and his body lied battered in a crater formed deep in the earth.

 _Fucking bitch…_ Piccolo grunted in pain as he struggled to lift himself up for the second time. He glared up at the woman, who floated above him. Only she wasn't looking down at him; she was staring wide-eyed off into the distance where Piccolo had sensed Gohan's rising power level.

Piccolo forced himself into a standing position, pressing two fingers to his temple once more.

"Bojack…" Zangya whispered quietly to herself. "This power…it's more intense than we thought…he could be in danger…"

Now it was Piccolo's turn to take advantage. He quickly mustered up what strength he had left in him and fired his attack at Zangya.

 ** _"_** ** _SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"_**

Zangya barely saw the flashing yellow stream in time to duck out of the way, the blast burning through her shoulder as she cried out in pain. She fell hard to the ground, clutching her shoulder where the Namekian had hit her.

"Fucking asshole!" She screamed down towards the green alien, who was breathing heavily from the loss of energy.

Zangya fearfully inspected her injury; her shoulder was gashed open, green liquid oozing out in chunks to the ground and her bone protruded through the teal skin. Squeezing her eyes shut, Zangya soldiered through the pain and lifted herself up, clutching the wound.

"I'll finish you off later," she growled down to Piccolo, before jumping up and flying off in the direction of the Son house. _Bojack…master, please be safe!_

Piccolo climbed up out of the hole in the earth, grunting as he came out onto the surface. _Gohan…_ He could feel the demi-Saiyan's power level rising off the charts _. It's far greater than when he fought Cell…what could have possibly pushed Gohan to this?!_

There was no way the woman he had just encountered was all there was to it. He could feel several more foreign _ki's_ from where his student was, one so extraordinary it caused the Namekian to shudder.

Piccolo's face grew dark as he realized the grim truth. No matter how much he wanted to help Gohan, he knew he wasn't strong enough to stand a chance among these creatures, whatever they were.

But that wasn't about to stop him from doing anything he could to protect his precious student. He floated up into the air and flew as fast as his battered body could carry him.

 _Gohan…I'm coming!_

* * *

Vegeta was still standing outside after his confrontation with Blair. Rather than chase after them, he stood by himself in silence, debating on whether or not the witch would hold true to her threats. He had his family to fear for should he turn her in…but leave her be, and there was no telling what she was capable of as a wild fugitive.

Especially after the mental instability he had just witnessed in her.

The prince furrowed his brow in deep thought at the ground, comparing his options, when suddenly Bulma appeared behind him with Trunks in her arms.

"Vegeta?" She questioned, her voice interrupting the Saiyan's thoughts and causing him to pivot around. His black eyes locked with hers. The image of his wife balancing their four-year-old son on her hip and the loving countenance on her face brought a slow melt to his icy heart. "Dinner is ready, dear. The cook prepared it while I was in the workroom. Aren't you hungry by now?"

Vegeta's frown slowly curled into a small smile. "Forgive me. I was busy dealing with Kakabrat and that woman. He always manages to inconvenience me at the worst times."

Bulma's eyes filled with concern. "Woman? You don't mean…" Her voice trailed off.

Vegeta scowled. "Yes, I do. The one who murdered the old hag Baba. He has a very sick obsession, so it seems." _For what reason, I've yet to find out…_

Bulma gasped, trying to contain her fear and worry in the presence of her young son. "But…doesn't that mean he's in danger? Vegeta, what should we do?"

Vegeta came forward and placed a comforting hand on Bulma's shoulder. Despite his cold personality, he truly loved his wife and child. And the thought of them enduring the tortures Blair had described to him made his Saiyan blood boil with a passion he had never felt before, not even in the heat of battle. Ever since he first realized his feelings towards the female, for the first time in his life, he had felt a cause; something worth training and fighting for.

"Don't worry about him, Bulma," he assured her. "I don't like accepting it, but he's strong enough to take care of himself." He stared off into the distance where Gohan had flown off. _I just hope he doesn't give it all up to that witch…_

Bulma shifted Trunks onto her other side, a deep frown etching itself onto her pleasant features. "I don't know Vegeta…Gohan just doesn't seem like himself anymore. He even told me that Chichi has been talking about sending him to a mental hospital…" She struggled to stop the tears from forming in her eyes, not wanting Trunks to see his mother upset.

Though it pained him to see his wife near tears, Vegeta couldn't help it; at the mention of Gohan potentially being sent to a mental asylum he had to choke back a laugh. He noticed Bulma glaring at him as he did so. He quickly cleared his throat and righted himself. "If it makes you feel better, I'll continue keeping a close eye on the brat," the prince wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders, grinning at his son who responded with a punky smirk of his own. "For now, let's go inside and eat before thinking about that gothic mess of a child causes me to lose my appetite."

Bulma frowned at how casually Vegeta was brushing off the thought of Gohan clinging to a murderous woman. Yet as he wrapped his arm around her, she could also feel his muscles tensing up. _He's not telling me everything…_

She could read her husband like a book. Although for now, it didn't seem like the right time to turn the page.

 _Dammit…_ Bulma thought to herself, biting her lip. Her thoughts raced with frightening possibilities of what could happen to Gohan while he was around the woman who had murdered Baba. She shuddered slightly, recalling the blank look on the violet-haired female's face, no remorse as she stood over her slaughtered kill.

Vegeta and Trunks both cocked an eyebrow at her at the same time, evidently feeling the tremble that went through her. She mentally shook herself free of any fears and negative thoughts. _I'll get to the bottom of this later…for now, I have a son and husband to look after._

"Okay," she complied, smiling at her lover in an attempt to ease the concern in his black eyes. "Let's go in. I hope the cook made a lot because I don't know about you but I'm star–"

Suddenly, Vegeta twisted around, staring wide-eyed off in the opposite direction.

 _What the fuck?! That power level…Gohan?!_

"Vegeta? Vegeta, what is it?" Bulma tugged at her husband's arm while Trunks pouted at his father's behavior.

"Bulma, get inside. Take Trunks with you," Vegeta growled to his family. "Something is happening…something dangerous…" _That powerful ki we felt must be one fuck of an enemy if Gohan was pushed to this…_

Bulma's eyes welled up at the Saiyan's words. "It's Gohan, isn't it?"

The prince tensed up, but remained silent.

"Vegeta, tell me!"

"Get inside, NOW!" The Saiyan shouted back at her, flying up into the air and bursting off towards the immense _ki_ he was feeling.

"Vegeta!" Bulma set Trunks down and gripped onto the boy's hand as she watched her husband disappear from sight.

"Mom?" Trunks tugged at her hand, trying to get her attention. "C'mon, Ma, where'd Dad go now?"

Bulma quivered in fear, wondering after all these years of peace what could have possibly brought her husband, the prince of Saiyans, to look so frightened for their well-being.

* * *

"Call everyone here!" Dende shouted orders to Mr. Popo as he paced along the Lookout, his forehead creased in fear.

"W…what? But Kami, they need to be out fighting this beast!" Mr. Popo stammered out, shocked at the small Namekian's orders. "We should tell the Z Fighters to go help Goh–"

"NO!" Dende commanded, trying his best to sound assertive. "They won't stand a chance against these threats; their power is too great! Rally them here so we can all start forming some sort of plan!" _Until then, Gohan will just have to hold them off on his own…dammit!_

Mr. Popo opened his mouth to argue, but one look at the newfound intensity in Dende's eyes, and he knew it was no use. He nodded quietly and pivoted back into the temple to call upon the Z Fighters.

Once his assistant was out of sight, Dende's small shoulders slumped over, exhausted from having to keep up the confident front.

 _Goku and Piccolo have placed too much trust in me…_ The guardian gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. His senses were raging with the unimaginable _ki's_ of the battle about to begin below on Earth.

 _Come on, Dende…pull yourself together…Goku was counting on you to keep this planet safe!_

The tiny Namekian clenched his fists with determination as he awaited the arrival of the Z Fighters.

 _I just hope they've managed to find the Dragon Balls by now…_

* * *

"Master…what the hell is this being?" Bujin called out to Bojack as Gohan's energy pushed him back. He dug his heels into the earth to remain where he stood, but still slowly skidded backwards against the intense wind of power.

Bojack let out a hearty laugh and kept his eyes on Gohan, who glared right back with cyan orbs from across the field.

"This, Bujin," he addressed his henchman. "Is the fight I've been itching for for _years_."

The leading Hera-seijin flexed his muscles and let out a thundering roar. Energy pulsed around him in waves. His already bulking muscles intensified as his power level increased. A grin spread across his broad features as he quickly knelt down, preparing to come at the teen full speed.

" ** _HYAA_**!" Bojack burst forward towards the demi-Saiyan and hurled a powerful punch at him.

However, right before he made impact with the boy, Gohan snatched the man's arm and twisted it, shocking the Hera-seijin with his abnormally powerful grip.

 _What the fuck?!_ Bojack couldn't believe what was happening. In a millisecond, Gohan had cracked the bones in the man's arm and threw him over onto the ground, causing him to land hard on his back.

 _Fucking brat!_ Bojack groaned in pain as he quickly got back on his feet, clutching his broken arm and glaring down at the boy before him. The cyan eyes were bloodshot with rage and hatred, his gold hair swaying with the energy and flashes of lighting surrounding him.

Bojack felt a small shudder go through his body. No one had ever been able to land so much as a _hit_ on him before, other than the four Kais back when they trapped him and his Galaxy Soldiers in a star for thousands of years.

The Hera-seijin growled as his wrath consumed him. _No way I'm letting a goddamn kid take me out…not after everything I've been through…not after being caged like an animal for fucking millenniums!_ He righted himself and tensed his muscles in frustration, glaring over at Bido, Bujin, and Kugo.

"Well, come on now, boys!" He barked orders out to his henchmen. "If little Zangya can go fight on her own, then the three of you can sure as hell take down this little fucker with me!"

Bido, Kogu, and Bujin all snapped out of the astonished trance. One by one they looked to one another and nodded, lowering their arms from shielding their eyes and flying towards the demi-Saiyan, surrounding him in a vicious triangle.

Bojack slowly floated backwards while the others were focused on the teen, trying to slip into the background of the battle unnoticed.

 _Let them face the heat for now_ , he thought to himself, grinning. _Then I can see what this little shit is capable of and know just what I'm dealing with!_

As the trio of henchmen surrounded Gohan, the teen glared at them one by one, furious at the smirks they each held on their faces.

"Come on, kid!" One of them called out mockingly. "Show us what you've… _GOT_!" At the final word, Kogu burst forward and tried to attack Gohan.

The demi-Saiyan let out a cry of rage and conjured up a _ki_ blast within seconds, throwing it forcefully at the Hera-seijin who approached him. As the two collided, a deafening eruption rang out over the field as a bright blue aura of energy blinded them from view. Dirt and smoke encircled the area.

Bido and Bujin were left coughing and surrounded by debris, unable to see who had prevailed in the scuffle.

"Kogu!" Bido called out into the smoky abyss. "Kogu, where are you….!" His cries cut off as the air cleared, revealing the grisly sight before them.

Gohan stood glaring proudly down at Kogu's corpse, lying flat at the teen's feet. Only the dead body had no face to identify it with; it had been blasted into a mash of brains and blood when Gohan had thrown his blast right at the man's head. Lying in the mess of mutilated innards was the bloody stump of a neck that Kogu's body had left.

"That was for smashing my mother's face in, fuckers," the teen growled back at the remaining henchmen.

Bujin and Bido backed up slowly, trembling in astonishment and fear. "M-master…" Bujin stammered out to Bojack. _Four years…four years of training for this moment…and he was taken out just like that?!_

However, their leader remained silent. He was watching the gruesome display from afar, paralyzed with shock.

 _How…_ Bojack's thoughts drowned out the pleas of his remaining Galaxy Soldiers. _How could some miserable human child…defeat one of my own in one fucking hit?!_

"Master!" Bujin cried louder, backing away from Gohan as the teen approached him with bloodthirst boiling in his cyan orbs. "Master, we need your help–"

" _GAAAAH_!" Bujin cried out in pain as Gohan burst forward and grabbed him, wrenching the Hera-seijin's rail-thin arm in his crushing grip and raising the him horizontally above his head. Bujin desperately tried to break free of the demi-Saiyan's powerful grasp, his eyes wide with horror as he watched Gohan slowly raise one of his knees.

"…And this is for shattering her spine!" Gohan roared out, feeling vehemence overtake him as he swiftly brought Bujin's body down with great force. His knee made impact with Bujin's back, breaking the man's spine in two, cracking up into him until the broken halves of bone pierced through his chest and stomach.

Bujin writhed in agony, his deafening scream echoing into the sky as his eyes rolled back into his head. Blood poured out from the corpse and showered all over Gohan's body, splattering his pale skin and staining his dark clothes. The teen didn't even blink away the red liquid that spilled into his eyes or dripped into his mouth; his hunger for the blood of the Hera-seijins was so savage, he welcomed it into him.

Bujin's body quickly fell limp in Gohan's arms before he threw it to the dirt several feet away. The corpse left a trail of dark blood in its wake before finally falling still, the mouth hanging open in a permanent scream of agony and the open eyes revealing a milky white film.

Gohan, golden hair flaring wildly and his translucent skin coated in blood, peered over at the last henchman standing. His eyes were more animalistic than human, showing no signs of remorse for what he was doing. A pool of thick, dark blood lied at his feet.

Bido was shaking uncontrollably now. _T-this kid…isn't human…! Whatever the fuck he is, it's not of this planet!_

"Master!" Bido shouted out to Bojack, who was nowhere to be found. He scanned the area, twisting and darting his eyes around in a frightened trance. "Master, we didn't fucking sign up for this! You need to take care of this psycho little bastard _NOW_!"

When his only response was silence, Bido began to realize that they had been abandoned to die. He quivered with anger and threw his head back as he roared into the sky. "Fuck you Bojack, you fucking coward! Leaving your men to die in a battle you started while you run and hide!"

Gohan couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the frightened creature, and he let out a light chuckle that quickly erupted into maniacal laughter. He tilted his head back, howling with insane glee up towards the darkening sky. Bido watched the disturbing scene with increasing fear, desperately wanting to run but for the first time in his life feeling paralyzed with pure, undeniable fear.

Once Gohan regained himself, he snapped his head back to Bido. His eyes narrowed mischievously at the teal man as the flashes of lightning surrounding him increased in intensity.

"Don't worry, fucker," Gohan snarled at Bido. "He'll get what's coming to him. For now, I want you to feel what my little brother felt when you assholes murdered him!"

Gohan erupted with rage at the final statement, and he darted towards Bido before the alien could escape.

Gohan gripped the man by the throat, lifting him up over his head in a miraculous feat.

From afar, Bojack watched in awe as the thin, lanky boy easily held up the large alien man that was twice his size and mass like it was nothing.

Bido began hyperventilating with fear, pitifully clawing at Gohan's arm in vain, desperate to be released.

"BOJACK, YOU FUCKING COWARD, SHOW YOURSELF!" Bido screamed as Gohan glared up at him with a smirk on his young, defined face.

"Looks like your master doesn't give a shit about you," the teen mocked him. Bido writhed in Gohan's grasp, trying to break free. "Doesn't matter. You're going to _burn_ , you fucking son of a bitch."

Gohan concentrated his features as he channeled the flashes of lighting around him into the arm that gripped Bido's throat, sending electricity all throughout the teal man's body. Bido shook and convulsed violently as lightning shocked all of his nerves and set his skin aflame, his eyes rolling back into his head as they melted from their sockets and down his cheeks in a bloody ooze. His cries of agony were cut into fragments as he foamed at the mouth, his flesh burning away at the heat of the energy electrocuting him, until he became silent altogether.

Finally, Gohan casually tossed Bido's lifeless body to the ground, a satisfied sneer on his face. The teal corpse was burned to the bone in various sections, revealing his ribcage and most of his skull, smoke rising up out of the eye sockets and spaces between his ribs.

"You died too quickly," Gohan addressed the corpse, spitting down at it. "You all should have suffered more. At least I have one last chance to give you fuckers what you deserve…"

Gohan clenched his fists and glared up towards the sky.

"Well, come on!" He roared into the vast emptiness, scanning the area for Bojack. "Where the fuck are you, oh great master? You really gonna watch me kill your men then hide like a little bitch? Huh?"

Silence rang in the air as the only response, causing Gohan's anger to increase. "Fucking come out! You're going to fucking suffer for what you did!" Gohan was so blinded by his own rage, he didn't even realize he was giving in to the bloodthirsty sadism and making the same mistake as he had in the Cell games. The same mistake the ultimately lead to Goku sacrificing himself to save the Earth and everyone in it.

Suddenly, Gohan felt a massive, powerful blast of _ki_ hit him straight on from above. He howled in pain as his skin burned like acid. He could feel a significant bout of agony shooting down his left leg as he sank into the destroyed earth beneath him.

Smoke and clouds of dirt surrounded the teen as he desperately tried to wave it away to clear his vision. Coughing up blood and forcing his eyes open, Gohan realized he couldn't move one of his legs and could barely move his arms. He attempted to lift himself up, but fell back down several times over.

Never since he had ascended to Super Saiyan 2 had Gohan been so injured by a single hit. Even when he had blocked Vegeta from Cell's attack, it had only taken out one of his arms; this blast felt like it had taken out his entire body. _Why the fuck is this guy so damn strong?!_

Gohan touched a hand to his hair and was horrified to discover that he was no longer Super Saiyan; the blast had knocked him down to his base state. His black mess of gothy hair hung down over his eyes once more.

Gohan quickly brushed his hair away from his face and lifted his head, searching frantically for where the blast had come from. Far up above him, he saw Bojack still clutching his broken arm and grinning manically down at him.

"Well well well, I suppose I was smart to send my idiot men after you first!" The man roared with laughter down at the injured teen. "Judging from your sadistic style of fighting, I learned to stay the fuck away from fighting you up close! Better to attack you from afar, so it seems." Bojack snickered away, aiming his good arm down at Gohan and preparing another attack to finish the boy off.

Gohan grit his teeth and growled in frustration, slamming his fist into the ground as he failed another attempt to stand up. _Fuck fuck fuck…how could I let him catch me off guard like this…I'm more out of practice than Vegeta thought…_ Gohan struggled to sit up, his arms shaking with pain as he lifted himself into a sitting position. It became obvious to him that his left leg was most likely broken, and just attempting to move caused him to cry out in pain. He didn't even have enough energy in him to fly off the ground. _Can't get away…I can't get away…he's going to kill me…just like mom…Goten…_

Gohan clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut. _No…not like this…I'm the kid who killed Cell…no way I'm going down this fucking easy!_

A ball of determination forming in his gut, Gohan dragged himself into a standing position. He leaned all of his weight onto the only good leg he had left and fought to ignore the searing pain shooting down the other. Tensing his muscles, he mustered up all the strength he had in him, and raised a battered arm up at Bojack.

 _I did this one-handed before…let's just hope I can do it again…_

"Ka….me…ha…me…" Gohan recited the attack he had known since he was a child, the bright blue ball of energy forming in his palm as he pulled his arm back behind him.

Bojack's eyes widened as he realized the boy was preparing to fight back. Growling in anger, he threw his arm up into the air and aimed his attack at Gohan.

" _DIE, KID_!" Bojack cackled hysterically as he tossed the neon green _ki_ blast down towards Gohan at unimaginable speed.

" _HAAA_!" Gohan withdrew any strength he had left in him into his attack, the blue blast shooting up at Bojack and colliding with the green ball of energy headed his way. The collision resulted in a deafening explosion that rang out through the field. Both parties were blown backwards by the force. Gohan was knocked out of the hole in the ground and skidded hard across the field; Bojack crashed downward from where he was flying in the air, forming a second crater in the earth.

Groaning in pain, Gohan spit out dirt and blood, his body feeling as though it had been run over. His left leg was now completely numb. A ringing screeched in his ears. He lifted a hand to his aching head, feeling a deep gash stretching from his ear to his chin from where he had scraped across the ground. He glanced over at where Bojack had fallen, relieved to see that the enemy had yet to regain himself.

Lying flat on his back and gazing up towards the sky, Gohan thought he saw a flash of teal and orange fly by overhead. He blinked a few times, wondering if he was hallucinating. His breath quickened as he began to fear another henchman had arrived to finish him off.

 _Fuck…fuck fuck fuck I need to get up fuck_

Struggling to lift himself off the ground, Gohan could tell from his ragged breaths and aching chest that he had multiple broken ribs. _Shit…at least with Cell it was just my arm…what the hell is this guy…_

Gohan's chest heaved up and down so forcefully, the simple act of breathing caused his ribs to throb with pain. He kept an eye on the crater Bojack had crashed into, fearing he would see the Hera-seijin rise up out of it any second.

Gohan attempted to move his left leg, which was still rendered numb. He panicked as he realized he couldn't move or feel anything in the limb from his mid-thigh down. Groaning, he forced himself into a sitting position, his left leg still not cooperating with the rest of him. It lied stretched out before him, unmoving, no matter how desperately he tried to work the muscles in it.

To make things worse, his ears were still ringing from the explosion. _So not only is my leg a piece of shit, but now I'm probably fucking deaf_ , the teen thought bitterly to himself, grasping his aching head between his hands and scowling down at his numb-ridden leg.

His left leg merely dragged behind him as he managed to pull together enough strength to rise into a push-up position. Once he did so, one of his hands immediately sunk into the soft ground of dirt beneath him.

Grunting and yanking his hand of the dirt, Gohan felt multiple painful stings etching themselves across the skin of his hand. When he finally pulled his hand free, there were countless light, bleeding scratches all across his palms, fingers, and cutting into the larger veins on the back of his hand.

 _The fuck…?_

Glancing down into the hole his hand had sunk into, Gohan realized he had landed in the same patch of dirt he had buried his razors in earlier that morning. The sharp silver edges crusted with dirt lied cluttered together in a shallow grave.

Gohan's body slowly began to shake, increasing in intensity as hot tears formed in his eyes and slipped down his cheeks, stinging his wounds. He clawed the grains of dirt beneath him and bit his lip so hard it began to bleed. He reached in a snatched one of the sharper razors out of the hole, holding it up above him and watching the sunlight reflect off the gleaming edges.

His own reflection, the bruised and bloodied face of a pale teenager with messy black hair and blue eyes that seemed more fit for someone beyond his years, filled his chest with a pain he could no longer fight to contain.

Gripping the razor in his hand, Gohan brought it down harshly against his chest, slicing so deep into the skin his shirt ripped and blood pooled onto the dirt below. He let the blade, now stained red, slip from his hand as intense pain began shooting all over his body. From the fight. From the cut. From knowing he was now completely and utterly alone in the world.

Hunched over on his knees, palms flat on the ground, Gohan gasped for air as he calmly watched his body drain itself free of blood from the long, self-inflicted gash across his chest. His eyes rolled back and he collapsed over on his side, lying in a puddle of his own blood.

 _Fuck it all…fuck it all…_

As he lied on the ground, slowly slipping into unconsciousness and his breathing becoming increasingly shallow, he managed to hear a slight flutter of wings warbled within the screeching noise in his head. _Wings…?_

Cracking one eye slightly open, Gohan noticed that a small green-eyed raven had plopped right down beside him. Cocking its head sideways, it stood staring straight into the boy's soul with a round emerald eye.

 _What the…?_

His heart nearly stopped as he watched the little raven disappear into purple wisps of smoke and take the form of Blair the Witch, gazing down at him with tears sparkling in her beautiful eyes.

"Sweetness…" her voice echoed in his head as she ran her perfect fingers through his black hair.

Gohan twisted his features into a scowl and squeezed his eyes shut. Final thoughts drifted through his mind as he slipped away. _I don't want your fucking sympathy I don't fucking deserve it all of this my fault my fault always my fucking fault_

"Sweetness," Blair slipped her hand into his, which had become cold and stiff. "Oh, sweetness…"

"…don't you know you're not allowed to die until I say so?"

* * *

Vegeta was flying full-speed towards the Son house, when he began to feel several of the foreign _ki's_ begin to drop and disappear off the charts one after the other within minutes.

 _…_ _What the fuck is this?!_

As he neared his destination, he could sense only two life forces remaining; one being what he believed to be Gohan in his transformed state, and the other a mystery…although the Saiyan knew that if Gohan had to resort to going Super, it was definitely an enemy.

The prince could feel his temper begin to flare as Gohan's _ki_ began dropping way too fast, far below safe levels.

 _Goddamn it, Kakabrat…_

 **"** **Attention all Z Fighters!"**

Vegeta froze instantly, screeching to a halt in the air as a booming voice rang out in his head.

 **"** **Attention all Z Fighters! Report to the Lookout immediately! I repeat: report to the Lookout immediately!"**

Vegeta growled as the irritating voice repeated itself over and over in his head. _Probably either the imbecile Popo or that worthless guardian Dende…_ The prince scowled and looked off into the distance where Gohan's _ki_ continued to fall lower and lower.

The Saiyan clenched his fists. He knew, aggravating as it was, that he should follow orders and report to the Lookout. If they were so desperate to call everyone there, it had to be something serious.

He looked back towards where Gohan was, debating his options heavily in his head. From his senses, it seemed both the teen and the enemy were down for the count. Only now he could feel another familiar _ki_ heading towards Gohan. _Feels like Piccolo…makes sense. The green idiot can never stay too far away from that damn kid…_

As the signal continued to echo in his head, Vegeta grunted and sped off in the direction of the Lookout.

 _Let the Namekian help the brat out…or better yet, let the damn kid clean up his own mess for once…_

Vegeta was not known to be a man of conscience. But for a brief moment as he thought of the wounded state of the teenage demi-Saiyan, the first-born son of his sworn rival, he pondered just what his increasing anger was geared towards:

The potential of the enemy being too strong for him…or the fact that Gohan, a fellow Saiyan, was injured near death?

 _Fuck, kid…_

* * *

Blair brushed Gohan's bangs out of his face and leaned down to press a light kiss on his forehead. She frowned down at the sight of the beaten, mutilated boy.

 _He's losing far too much blood…it's already thinning_ , Blair thought as the dark liquid creeping out the teen's chest became watery. _Who could have possibly done this to him? He's the strongest being I've come across in centuries…_

The witch concentrated her senses and realized there were two similar _ki's_ just across the field, though both were beaten down. She glanced over and saw the large crater in the earth.

Two odd looking teal creatures with fiery orange hair floated up out of it. Blair's eyes widened at the strange sight, distracting her momentarily from the injured Gohan.

"Master…please, you can't fight anymore!" Zangya pleaded with Bojack. She was barely holding his large battered body up, one strong arm slung around her shoulder and the other dangling broken by his side. "We'll come back once you're healed and ready to finish him off!"

Bojack merely grunted back incoherently, his intense fury evident to Blair even from across the field. His body was covered in scrapes and bruises, as well as bleeding wounds from the burn of the blasts him and the demi-Saiyan had shot at one another. "That…psycho little fucker…has to pay…" The Hera-seijin managed to growl out. "Nobody…messes with me…and gets away with it!"

"And they will, master," Zangya reassured him, though she was unsure of who had beaten her leader into such a state. She darted her eyes around the area, searching for the culprit.

 _Kugo…Bujin…Bido…_ She trembled at the sight of her comrades, their corpses each slaughtered in various gruesome ways. She glanced over past the burning remains of the dome house and saw Chichi's mutilated body splayed naked across the dirt in a pool of her own dried blood.

 _Whoever did this must have known that pasty bitch…no wonder she wouldn't give away their location…_ She thought of her murdered allies, her broken leader. Tightening her grip on Bojack's arm, she could feel her muscles tensing with anger as murderous thoughts rang through her head. _I'll kill whoever did this…I'll fucking slaughter them with my bare hands!_

She glanced around once more, and a flash of vivid violet caught her eye. Across the field, her eyes widened when she saw the beautiful figure of a purple-haired woman standing over a bloody black-clad teenager.

Zangya blinked a few times in astonishment. _No…there's no way it could have been those two…some prissy bitch and a kid taking down Lord Bojack?!_

Blair narrowed her green eyes at the pair, irritation boiling beneath her fair surface. _So it was them…a strong man and his whore?_ A gust of wind blew her long violet hair over her daggering eyes, glaring at the enemies with bloodthirst and hate.

Zangya shuddered at the glint in the strange woman's green eyes. _Who does she think she is…?_ Zangya pressed her lips tight and concentrated on sensing the woman's _ki_ , only to be shocked upon realizing there was no life force radiating off the female. _Even the half-dead brat has a little ki…what the hell kind of beings exist on this damn planet?!_

Zangya gasped as Bojack suddenly began coughing out thick chunks of blood that splattered to the ground below.

 _Shit…I don't have time for this!_ Zangya pulled Bojack closer to her and, after shooting one last death glare back at Blair, turned to fly away in the other direction. "Don't worry, master; we'll finish them off once you're back in shape, I swear it!"

Bojack hesitated for a moment, ready to protest, before nodding and allowing his last remaining Galaxy Soldier to fly him away to safety. Never had he ever fled from a battle without killing his opponent, and the outcome of his fight with Gohan had cut deep into his warrior pride. _That little bastard is going to fucking suffer for pushing me to this…_

Blair watched as the teal woman carried the man away, flying off into the distance. She took in specific small details: the way the girl wrapped her slender arm around the man's wide waist, her other hand holding onto his arm slung around her shoulder, intertwining her petite fingers with his big, meaty ones…

Blair had to purse her lips to stifle back a laugh. _Well well well, don't I have plans for those two once I get my hands on them…_

She glanced back down to Gohan, who remained unconscious on the ground. The pool of blood around his body made it appear as though the boy was part of a grisly murder scene.

 _Oh, dear…_ Blair's face crumpled as she knelt down beside the boy. A few silent tears slipped from her eyes and plopped down on Gohan's bloodied chest. _What am I going to do with you?_

Suddenly, Blair could feel a prominent _ki_ headed towards them. Darting her gaze upward, she could make out a green figure in the distance, swiftly approaching the scene.

 _Green…?_ Blair bit her lip. _I don't believe this a threat…I do recall him telling me of a green comrade of his at some point…_

 _…_ _doesn't hurt to be too safe, though, right?_

Glancing back down towards the injured teen, Blair quickly dissipated into her feline form. She pounced onto Gohan's chest, careful to avoid the deep gash etched across it, and unsheathed her claws.

 _Sorry about this, sweetness!_

With a harsh swipe of needlepoint across the boy's face, Gohan's eyes snapped open and he gasped for air, almost choking on the blood that had built up in his throat.

* * *

 **"** ** _Savior_** **" — Thirty Seconds To Mars**


End file.
